COMMENTS
AND ACCOLADES FROM
WRITERS AND PUBLISHERS
More Accolades for 2020
Michael Bellusci, Author, The Sailor from Lampedusa: "All reviews are not equal. Some, in fact, are downright incompetent, as I have discovered by reading reviews regarding some of my favorite authors on popular review sites, which I won’t mention. In view of such a dilemma (faced by most authors), I thank you for a well-written and honest review that informs the public with the key elements of the story."
Vincent Panettiere, Author, The Music of Women: "I thought you might want to know how much I respect and appreciate Diane Donovan as a reviewer. Her reviews are always succinct and honest, adding insight for the reader's understanding."
Cat Michaels, Author, Just Between Sam and Me: "My co-writer, Rosie Russell, and I wanted you to know that we are beyond thrilled with our recent book review from Diane Donovan. Diane turned it around in lightning time and picked up on nuances we hoped to convey to our readers. Her critique was exceptionally thorough and professional in every way. In fact, we are already pulling quotes from Diane’s work for newsletters and social media platforms to promote our book launching on 2 December."
William L. Kovacs, Author, Reform the Kakistocracy: "Diane Donovan captured the purpose and tone of the book perfectly. While her review was positive, which is appreciated, it was also very thoughtful in its openness to my different views of the current political culture.
Diane performed the review in exactly the time-frame promised. She outlined all future dates for publishing the review. Every aspect of the review process was handled with proven professionalism."
Liz Merton, Stoneman House Press, L.L.C. for The Venturi Effect: "I just wanted to thank you for a thoroughly enjoyable review process. Diane sent a draft of her review for The Venturi Effect yesterday. Great review. Great process. Smooth, efficient. We’ll be quoting from the review extensively.
(Coincidentally, I recently discovered another book Diane had reviewed, and I’m purchasing it, in part, on the strength of her review.) "
Jerry Masinton, Author, Wrong Man Down: "A few days ago I received the wonderful review of my novel, Wrong Man Down, from Diane Donovan. I think that it’s a model of good book reviewing. Naturally I was pleased that she liked my work, but she accomplished things that most reviewers don’t. She made sure that readers of the review would know exactly what the book is about, and she offered generous quotes from it to illustrate both the main action and to focus on the central characters. I was especially impressed by Diane’s grasp of the unique qualities of my protagonist and the quirky humor of the novel. Diane completely captures what I tried to accomplish. Moreover, her writing is clear and inviting—a real pleasure for the reader.
I read a lot of book reviews. And for many years I reviewed fiction for The Kansas City Star. It’s an art to write a good review, an art that Diane Donovan has mastered. She’s an acute critic, an excellent writer, and a first-rate reviewer. Getting reviewed by her is a real honor."
Brendan Mirthy, B. Mirthy & Sons, for Bikini Cowgirls of the Urban Legion and The Urban Legion: "We just went over the upcoming reviews from Diane for the two Urban Legion books and wanted to let you know we’re pleased with her work. She gets the quirky blend of fun and intrigue, and that comes out in the reviews, no easy feat."
C.G. Fewston, Author, Little Hometown America: "You're an amazing and talented reader & writer. Your review is smooth, elegant, and yet profound. You make me want to read the book, and I've read the damn thing a thousand times. Thank you for all your help."
Robin
Murarka,
Author, Rone Isa: "I
have received Diane's review of
Rone
Isa, and despite it being overall a positive one, I wanted to
commend
her insight into what has proven to be a book whose main
thematic
depth seems to evade many other readers. Her presentation of
her
experience is thoughtful and thorough, worded very well, and does
not
give away too much to the reader."
Sarah Dietz, Author Assistant to Phillip B. Chute, Stocks, Bonds & Taxes: "We recently got a review from Diane Donovan for Stocks, Bonds & Taxes by Phillip B. Chute and we were very satisfied. Her review concentrated on the tax side of the book while all our previous book reviews only concentrated on the investing side. We had one revision in regards to Mr. Chute's stockbroker licenses and Diane quickly added that it to be sent it back the within a few hours. We recently got a Kirkus review and they couldn't add in his licensing (due to word count) so Mr. Chute was very happy that Diane was willing to make the modification to the review."
Charlotte Whitney, Author, Threads: "I was extremely pleased with Diane's insight. She clearly understood what I was attempting to achieve in the book and she expressed it oh, so well.
Rather than being scared off by the Michigan farm dialect I used, she embraced it. I used it to create an authentic voice for my characters. (Think Huckleberry Finn.) I labored long and hard setting up spreadsheets for each of the three characters to ensure it was accurate. Not surprisingly, I appreciate when the reviewer "gets it."
Next, she understood the dichotomy of the adult and child voices as each of the three sisters experienced events differently. I wanted the reader to understand that being a seven-year-old in 1934 was significantly different from being a seventeen-year-old. Also, she mentioned appreciation for the details of the Depression. (Lots of research there).
Finally Ms. Donovan appreciated the "threads" metaphor. Yes, the sisters do make and mend their own clothes and use a treadle sewing machine, but the threads of the sisters' lives coming together is what I was aiming for and she clearly pointed that out."
Gary E. Midkiff, Author, Busville: "The journey of a first-time self-published author has many surprising twists and turns. One repetitive, and distressing, pattern is people and organizations literally not paying any attention to me because I am..... a first-time self-published author. "Busville" published July 24. During August I contacted a variety of people and organizations in the publishing world and ~2/3 never even responded. Not once.
Diane is a pleasant exception. She has always responded the same day to all of my inquiries, even though I expect some were banal. She gave me her task timeline in detail and ended up exceeding it. It is nice to work with a professional like her.
When I first saw her review I was pleased, of course, but I am far from objective on the topic. I took her review and sent it to my "5-Star Rating Club". This club consists of those people I know who gave "Busville" 5-star ratings on Amazon. Their responses started to arrive this morning and summarizing them into a single sentence club members said "She captured the story and made you want to read it."
RD Palmer, Author, The One Singularity: "My book release strategy was to leverage three Editorial Review services to help drive book interest and sales. And while all three review services say nice things about my book, Diane’s analysis and articulation were heads-and-shoulders above your competitors. Specifically, she encapsulated the book’s entirety, which I might say, was difficult considering it addresses a multitude of technical, philosophical, religious, economic, military, and humanitarian views. Diane is the best of the best."
MK Deppner, Author, Photographs of October: "D. Donovan was a delight to work with. She was prompt in her responses, delivered my review in the agreed upon timeframe, and was kind and courteous. I was feeling rather jaded after an unprofessional review from a big name review "business," so I was very pleased with the professional quality and thoroughness of this review. I will very happily recommend both her to any other authors who are in need of fair reviews for their books!"
Matthew E. Wheeler, Author, Falling into Cotton: "I just wanted to drop a quick note about the review Diane wrote for my novel Falling onto Cotton. It was fantastic and extremely well written. All of my dealings with her were professional and when so many NetGalley reviews are just a regurgitation of the back jacket, it was so refreshing how deep into the book she got."
X.H. Collins, Author, Flowing Water, Falling Flowers: "Diane is very professional, very prompt and clear in her response, and delivered the review draft a day before the deadline she promised. She obviously has read my book thoroughly and has given it thoughtful analysis, as I see she has a great grasp of the details, writing style, and the messages of the book. She has given me a kind, generous, and honest review that I can't wait to share on my website."
B.T. Polcari, Author, Against My Better Judgment: "All I can say is “WOW”. From start to finish, Diane has been a top tier professional and clearly takes pride in what she does. Every communication I received was direct and set clear expectations for steps to come. Not only did Diane meet those expectations, but far exceeded them by delivering a brilliantly constructed review a day early. I’m thrilled that Diane enjoyed the read, but even setting that aside, I am struck at the level of attention to detail Diane put into her review. Every word served a purpose. Diane was able to concisely capture the plot, characters, and essence of the book while delivering her honest thoughts on the read. I feel confident in saying that anyone who reads the book based on her review will not be disappointed."
Lynda McDaniel, Author, The Murder Ballad Blues: "Diane's review shared with potential readers interesting connections and nuances, not just a recap of what the book is about. And she delved into emotional components of the characters, which is really important to me. I could tell she put a lot of thought and care into the review. In addition, Diane was so pleasant to work with, answering emails professionally, promptly, and courteously."
James J. Elleyby, Author, How to Become Extremely Wealthy: "Diane Donovan
has written an outstanding review of my book. It’s unbiased. It’s professional.
It’s easy to read and understand. But most importantly, it accurately depicts
the intended message of the book! priceless! I take my hat off to Diane Donovan, as she is
brilliant at what she does."
Let me elaborate:
·
Diane was articulate in her communications
·
She was clear in what was needed from me in the way of
the book, a check, where to send
·
She explained her overview and process and, most
importantly I appreciated a “timeline” of when to expect a draft,
finished review, when it would run and where it would be posted. I
can’t tell you how much this makes me look good to my author and publisher
Valerie Taylor, Author, What's Not Said: "It was obvious
that Diane actually read the book, which not all reviewers do, and that she
quickly identified who my target audience is. Her synopsis was right on, and
she deftly incorporated her professional opinion within her text.
It's wonderful, certainly, that she liked the story and
recommends it, and I'm grateful there are several quotes I'll be able to pull
and utilize to promote the book.
Robert Roseth, Author, Ivy is a Weed: "Diane is a
superb reviewer. As a longtime reader of reviews, including decades of the New
York Times, I found her comments to be insightful and comprehensive. Readers
will gain an accurate impression of the work, as well as learning her valuable
opinion concerning the book's quality. As a reader, I would trust her reviews
in making my reading choices."
Dr. Jeff Duffey, Author, Search: A Guide for College and Life: "Every author
is happy when a reviewer approves of their work, but it is a particular
pleasure when a reviewer shows you something about your book you did not
appreciate or gives you another take on what has, as the writer who has written
multiple drafts, become invisible to you."
Kevin E. Buckley, Author, The Secret Sign of the Lizard
People: "This is just a short note to express my
appreciation for your reviewer Ms. Diane Donovan, who has to be one of the most
professional, courteous and efficient persons that I have encountered in the
publishing world. She is that rare breed of person that does what she says she
is going to do and does it within the stated timeline. If only everybody worked
with such professionalism, this world would be an easier and more pleasant
place in which to do business."
Cynthia L. Clark, Author, Boulder Girl, Remember Me When the
Moon Hangs Low: "Diane Donovan completed the review of
my book, Boulder Girl, Remember Me When the Moon Hangs Low, yesterday.
I wanted to let you know how pleased I was with the review. Not only did
she review the story content, she was able to see and to comment on the way I
developed the structure of the plot and development of the characters. It
was greatly appreciated since I constructed the story so carefully. She
thoughtfully gave my book a thorough review. She is a true professional."
Kenneth W. Harmon, Author, In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow: "I just wanted
to let you know how pleased I was with the service I received from Diane Donovan.
She is the epitome of what a professional editor and reviewer should be. Diane
is prompt and delivers outstanding reviews. I would not hesitate to use Diane again
and plan to recommend her to all of my writer friends."
Claire Youmans, Author, The Eagle and the Sparrow: "I’d like to
commend Diane Donovan for being a serious professional who is timely, who
actually reads the books she reviews carefully, and writes top-quality reviews.
She is friendly and personable, too, without giving rise to any questions at
all about her impartiality as a reviewer.
As it happens, she likes my books, but I know I can trust her to tell me
if she doesn’t, and tell me what she doesn’t like, too. She’s one of the best
reviewers I have ever run across."
Daniel Hryhorczuk, Author, Amerikana: "Hers was the
most thorough, most thoughtful review I've ever received from you folks. She
not only outlined the relevant plot characteristics of the novel, but also
illuminated the subtle politics, cultural and social issues that "contribute
to depth and complexity of the story line." She is a real jewel in the book review crown."
Dennis Koller , Author, The Rhythm of Evil: "I am writing
to express my respect and gratitude to Diane Donovan for her excellent review
of my new novel, Amerikana. While I am very happy that she enjoyed
my novel, I am even more impressed with her thoroughness, insight, and the
quality of her writing. She not only summarized the plot, but also delved into
the major themes of the novel and the depths of the characters. She was also
very easy to work with. As a writer it is very rewarding when my work is able
to connect with a reviewer of her caliber."
Oscar R. Nordstrom, Author, Situation Normal A.F.U.: "I’m writing to convey my deep appreciation for the thorough and inciteful way Diane’s review captured the essence of my third book. Diane’s comments were accompanied by quotes from the book that amplified her perspective on various events that were depicted. Discounting the fact that I might have some skin in the game, if I were grading her review as part of a thesis for a PHD, I’d have to give it an A+ (of course I’m also discounting the fact that graduate classes only give a pass/fail grade)."
Have shared the reviews with the authors. One of them, a distinguished writer now in her 90s, was so pleased she wrote back that she felt like starting writing something new!"
Claire Fullerton, Author, Little Tea: "It was my pleasure to work with Diane Donovan regarding my book review for Little Tea, which releases May 1st.
What a bonus to have had her send me her book review before it was posted. That was a gift, for allowing an author to contribute, with an eye toward any salient points they'd like to see in the review is fantastic!"
Linda Naseem, Author, Eden: "Before I published Eden, I spent a great deal of money on a review from a well-known company whose name I won't mention. They called the book racist, the main characters dead-beats (even though they had jobs), and in general slammed my writing style. I was quite nervous about what kind of review I would get from Ms. Donovan. What she wrote is in keeping with what most readers have written, and her style put everything so beautifully---thank you so much!"
Michael Guillebeau, Author, Don of the Q: "I just received the review of my book, Don of the Q, from Diane Donovan. I’ve always been pleased with Ms. Donovan’s reviews, but this is far and away the most insightful and best written yet. No one has ever done a better job of picking up on what I was trying to do, or described it better. "
Theresa Brooks, Meditation Farm, for The Silent Path: "I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how pleased we are with the recent review of "The Silent Path". Diane did an amazing job of expressing the character and intent of the book to give readers a real insight as to what the book is about. We're excited about using the review to promote the book!"
Linda Stephen , Author, The Day We Went to the Park: "I greatly appreciated Diane’s clear communication throughout the entire process including:
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How to submit a book for review by mail or ebook
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Acknowledgement that she received my book
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How to pay for the speedy review
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Planned timeline for review completion and pub dates
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Opportunity to look at the review before she submitted (I changed one letter (in a word) and one comma). She incorporated changes immediately.
She finished her review ahead of her original planned timeline, too.
We appreciated her insights and clever phrasing in her book review, too."
Michele Poague, Author, The Broken Shade: "Diane is a great communicator and a wonderful writer. Her review of my book is lively yet clear, with specific snippets of narrative and dialogue from the book that illustrate points of interest. It is such a joy to read."
Dan Whitney, Marketing Assistant, Skyhorse Publishing for The Fifteen Percent by Terry Giles: "I am writing to let you know what a pleasurable experience I had working with Diane Donovan regarding her review of The Fifteen Percent by Terry Giles from Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. She was easily reachable and was quick to respond to any emails I sent her. Diane was also thorough in her work and produced a wonderful review for our title. The turnaround time was great - it was finished and sent to me much quicker than I thought it would be (especially considering that the USPS lost the first copy of the book I sent)! I would highly recommend Diane to any author or publisher looking for a reviewer to work with."
R. Lane, Author, The Elizabeth Walker Affair: "Just a note to let you know that I have been pleased with the reviews that Diane Donovan has done on my work. Not necessarily because of the favorable tone, although that is pleasant, but in all cases she has shown an understanding of the subject and themes of my work. That is not often the case when writing mysteries—where readers are overly focused on the plot—but essential to understanding my effort."
Yasmin Azad, Author, Stay, Daughter: "I was pleased with the review of my book, "Stay, Daughter," by Diane Donovan. She had read the book closely, and made thoughtful comments about it not only as an individual work but also within the context of other books in the same milieu. I also appreciated the opportunity she gave me to give feedback, before the review was posted. After I pointed out an aspect of the book she had missed, she willingly revised the review to include it."
G. Elizabeth (Gail) Kretchmer, Author, Writing Through the Muck: "Yet again, I’ve appreciated working with Diane Donovan—this time for her review of my book Writing Through the Muck: Finding Self and Story for Personal Growth, Healing, and Transcendence. She is prompt and reliable. Her reviews are well written. And unlike other reviewers I’ve met elsewhere, she’s willing to send an advance draft to writers for input. While I’d never tell a reviewer what to say or think, I find it helps to be able to point to areas where more clarity or context might help the ultimate reader, and Diane is open to that, which means a better experience for everyone.."
Paul W. Papa, Author, Maximum Rossi: "Of course all authors are happy with a positive review, but what I am happy with is not that the review was positive—of course that is great—but the fact that Diane Donovan, first of all actually read the book, but then took the time to really write a very thoughtful review of the work. I’m very pleased with the points she touched on and overall I believe she did a wonderful job of capturing the “feel” of the book and conveying that feel to potential readers. The review comes across as honest, not scripted, and very sincere. There is nothing more an author could ask for. Mark me as satisfied. "
Cami Murdock Jensen, Author, Second Earth: "I just wanted to follow up and say how thrilled I was to again work with Diane on my second book in my Arch Mage Series - Second Earth. She really does a wonderful job and understands my themes and characters so well. She is also very professional and shared some wonderful advice on my cover when I asked her. Please know that I think she is a gem!"
Merida Johns, Author, Blackhorse Road: "Diane nailed it! In her review she captures the essence of what the book attempts to convey: a picture of the human experience that shows how ordinary people tackle challenges, live though sorrow and betrayal, struggle with doubt, and act on their aspirations to achieve positive relationships and flourishing lives. I could not have been more pleased with how Diane picked up on the salient points of interfamily relationships, family generational issues, and challenges to the foundations of beliefs and values that lead the heroine to navigate obstacles to happiness through hope and self-examination.
A positive psychologist colleague of mine who read the manuscript and Diane’s summary said: The reviewer obviously read with a very close eye to the thread that runs throughout the book… What stood out for me was the exceptional self-awareness the characters show…
The Review process was easy to navigate, exceptionally timely, and Diane produced on her promised deadline. "
Eric T. Reynolds, Author, The Artifacts: "My experience working with Diane Donovan was very positive. She answered my questions and concerns promptly. I was happy that her review pointed out an aspect of my novel missed by other reviewers, Other parts of her review showed that she read the book in depth, which I really appreciate (that was questionable with another professional reviewer who missed the point and gave away spoilers). "
Catharine Leggitt, Author, The Way to Go Home and In Progress: "I have received my reviews for two books from Diane Donovan and I am very happy with both – in both cases they were honest, careful, insightful, fair and well written. As the author, it always surprises, enlightens and delights me as to how others will read the work, and her comments freshened my views and informed me! She promised the work within a specific time frame and she delivered. Thank you for sending her name to me: this was a happy experience."
Monique Faison Ross, Author, Playing Dead: A Memoir of Terror and Survival: "Diane Donovan quickly completed the thoughtful review and is extremely responsive to emails. I just wish getting a professional review was this easy everywhere."
Mary Sheeran, Author, A Dangerous Liberty: "I've worked with several reviewers in the past year, and one frustrating issue that keeps emerging is that so few seem to read the books! They seem to skim the beginning and call something out (usually something trivial that shows they haven't any notion of what the book is about). From this review, and that for another book of mine, Banished From Memory, it seems that that is NOT the case with Ms. Donovan. I just wanted to mention that Ms. Donovan's review of my novel was done promptly when she said it would be. She also provided an insight I hadn't thought of!"
Michael G. Harpold, Author, The People We Wanted to Forget: "I received a draft of Diane Donovan’s review of my book last week and am very pleased. Diane contacted me immediately upon her assignment, outlining what she proposed to do and setting a timeline that I’m pleased to say was accurate to the day. I count as a good review one that I can learn something about my story and myself from the reviewer. That is indeed true in this case, and I will be proud to see it in print."
Kurt Partridge, Publisher, Argive Press: "Ms. Donovan just completed reviews of two of my company’s novels (both comedies), and I cannot overestimate her perspicuity and professionalism. At Argive Press we do not produce cookie-cutter genre books. We produce serious fiction that is meant to challenge the reader, in addition to making him/her laugh. I have had several reviewers of late, and Ms. Donovan surpasses them all intellectually, having an apparently broad knowledge of literature, history, and comedy. Moreover, her thoroughness puts all other reviewers to shame. It is apparent from her comments that she not only read the novel itself, but also the (not inconsiderable) front and back matter. Contrarily, there’s evidence that other reviewers read a few chapters and then just skimmed. For example, I had one reviewer state that one of the characters was a prostitute, when in fact she was a goddess! I wish to work with Ms. Donovan in any and all further reviews and will so request it. "
Frances Richardson, Author, Not All of Me Is Dust: "I would like to tell you how very pleased I was by the review written by Diane Donavan for my novel Not All Of Me Is Dust. Diane has an engaging, reassuring personality which makes dealing with her a pleasure from the start. Her review of my book was sincere, authentic, thoughtful, insightful and thoroughly professional. I highly recommend Diane, and would be happy to promote her reviewing in any way I can."
Joanne Easley, Author, Sweet Jane: "I want you to know that my experience with Diane Donovan, who reviewed my novel SWEET JANE, was outstanding. She was professional and clear about what to expect in our initial interaction and delivered a review that captured the essence of my novel."
Len Murphy, Author, Druids are from Outer Space, Aliens are from England: "I wanted to let you know that I received my fantastic draft review of Druids are from Outer Space, Aliens are from England from Diane Donovan. Diane did a very nice job. She clearly put much thought and time into the review which is very much appreciated. Note that I liked that Diane was very good with her communications. She responded promptly to all messages, and she established a schedule for completion which she met."
Ken Tentarelli, Author, The Advisor: "I just received a draft copy of the review of my novel The Advisor done by Diane Donovan. Beginning with our initial email exchanges she kept me informed of the process steps. The review itself is extremely comprehensive. It discusses various aspects of the book including historical context, challenges faced by the characters, and plot. It even includes two quotes to give readers of the review a sense of my writing style. As you can no doubt surmise, I am very pleased with Diane's thoughtful review."
Richard Wills, Author, 77th & Broadway: "Richard Wills here...just wanted to express my appreciation for you assigning my book to your reviewer Diane Donovan...I think her evaluation exemplifies the fact that she's a talented professional and very meticulous. I will gladly recommend her to others on my website as a viable resource."
Cassandra George-Sturgess, Author, Jungle Beauty Goddess Book Series: "We live in a culture where many people have come to believe that honesty and cruelty are synonymous concepts. I am so grateful that Ms. Donovan’s critiques were very truthful, yet thoughtful and respectful. I am commending her for having the utmost integrity and sensitivity in how she handled the subject matters of religion, race relations, and human sexuality all in one book! She understood the spiritual and philosophical depth of the JBG Book Series and her constructive critique left me feeling inspired—knowing exactly what I need to do to improve my writing and how to enhance what I am already doing correctly. Ms. Donovan submitted all documents to me prior to its due date, and it has been such a pleasure working with her. On a scale of 1 to 10-- I would rate Diane 100 stars."
Darren Dash, Author, Molls Like It Hot: "I just wanted to comment on what a great job Diane Donovan did on reviewing my latest novel, Molls Like It Hot. Diane's communication skills are excellent -- she stayed in touch all the way through the process, and was very clear in what she wanted from me, and when and where the review would be published, etc. I wish all reviewers were as well organised and good at their job as Diane!"
Joseph Pofus, Author, Treee: "Diane Donovan does excellent work in her reviews . In addition to communicating professionally and reading and reviewing quickly and carefully, I would say that she reads a book in the way it wants to be read. Many reviewers don't. I suppose it's a justifiable difference in approach, but I've always been disappointed in reviewers (of anything, movies or appliances as well as books) who seem mostly to express a personal taste: 'This book is strawberry, but I prefer chocolate.' That has always struck me as unfair to the product and unhelpful to any reader who doesn't happen to share the tastes of the reviewer. Donovan, by contrast, will write, 'This book is intended to be strawberry, and here's why it's good or bad strawberry.' Now it certainly helped that she liked the flavor of my book, but her review convinces me that she appreciated it because she studied it and understood it on its own terms. "
More
Accolades for 2019
Amy Wolf, Author, Woman of the Road: "Just wanted to let you know how pleased I am with Diane's latest review for me. She had also reviewed a book of mine several years ago, and in both cases, has done an exemplary job. Her reviews are literate, right on the money, and, IMHO, better than Kirkus's, Brava!"
Scott Grusky, Author, Zero Percenters: "Diane Donovan, the reviewer assigned to my novel, Zero Percenters, has completed her task and done an exemplary job. She was easy to work with, dedicated and thorough... and on top of that, she was extremely kind every step of the way."
Julie Rogers, Author, The Rain Belongs Here: "Diane has provided me with her review of the Rain Belongs Here and I couldn’t be happier. DIane laid the process out very clearly, provided the review on time and was forthright in asking for corrections. Her comments were insightful and comprehensive. Her review provided sufficient quotable material. "
Rabbi Bruce Forman, Author, Smokescreen: "Diane Donovan completed the review of my book Smokescreen: A Jewish Approach to Stop Smoking. She did a remarkable job of honing in on the main points of the book and prepared a review my mother, of blessed memory, would be proud of".
Mary Wark, Author, Days of Future Found: "I wanted to send a note of appreciation for the articulate and thoughtful services of Diane Donovan. In her recent review of my debut novel, she was able to capture the entirety of some complex issues that I wanted to convey through my main character. There are several themes running through this work and she was able to evoke and layer them out beautifully. She saw past the dystopian framework and highlighted my future forward vision of hope and purpose. "
Michael Polelle, Author, The Mithras Conspiracy: "I just wanted to drop you a line about how pleased I am with Diane Donovan's review of my novel, The Mithras Conspiracy. Her summary of the interwoven plot lines was crystal clear. She also did an excellent job of divining my goals and intentions in the novel. Very professionally done."
Susan
Fleet, Author,
Payback: "Diane
Donovan has reviewed several of my Frank Renzi crime thrillers and
it's always a pleasure to work with her. My most recent book,
Payback, has many characters and flips back and forth between New
Orleans and Boston, but Diane managed to capture the essence of the
book very well and with a very fast turnaround. Kudos to her!"
Bruce M. Perrin, Author, Mind in Chains: "I have completed work with Diane Donovan on a review for my next book (Mind in Chains), and I am very happy with her support. She explained everything thoroughly before we started. She kept to the proposed schedule and produced a thorough and thoughtful review. She was readily accessible to discuss it and responded to my thoughts in a positive and timely manner. I couldn't ask for more."
Cami Murdock Jensen, Author, First Earth: "Diane has corresponded professionally and quickly, giving me the opportunity to give input on any mistakes about my book. I am grateful for the positive review, and what pleased me most is that Diane obviously read and understood my main character and her development throughout the story. That is important for me as that development is what I hope is the deepest connection young readers will have with my story, and provides hope to young readers."
Richard Robbins, Author, Panicles: "I received my review from Diane Donovan, and was quite pleased. I felt like she gave it a thoughtful, thorough review, which accurately reflected what I was trying to convey in my book. It was a pleasure dealing with her from beginning to end."
John Molik, Author, Victoria: "I received my review by Diane Donovan for my book Victoria. She did an excellent job of digging deep into the narrative and pulling out some key concepts. I also liked how Diane used lines from the prose to back-up ideas presented. Great work. I'm well pleased."
Margaret Spearman, Author, No Good Deed: "Diane has a talent for reviewing mysteries. She is able to give a fair analysis and not give away the plots. The fact that she is able to provide a positive review is something that Horn works toward as he writes. We do think readers value her reviews."
Rozsa Gaston, Author, Anne of Brittany Series: "Diane Donovan delivers truly well-written and conscientious work. Her reviews show a careful reading of the text and she hits the most important points for readers about the book she is reviewing (for example, letting readers know that “no prior knowledge of the era or French culture [is needed] to prove satisfyingly engrossing to newcomers—even those who rarely read historical fiction.”) She has reviewed two of my books, Anne and Louis, and Anne and Louis: Rulers and Lovers. I am extremely pleased with her work."
William Harry Harding, Publisher, Garden Oak Press: "Diane Donovan's thoughtful approach to a wide variety of styles and subjects carries an enormous amount of good will toward the authors, yet she's able to focus on the unique qualities of each effort."
Desmond Mascarenhas, Publisher, Lone Think Press (for Beyond Olympus): "I wanted to write just to say how happy I am with the work Diane Donovan did in reviewing our novel, "Beyond Olympus". She captured the essence of a very complex story and wrote beautifully about it. The book is extremely cerebral and, in our experience, few who have read it have grasped its content to the degree that Diane clearly did. I should mention, parenthetically, that the book has been read by some extremely bright academics in over a dozen professional fields."
Jeannie Burt, Author, Come the Morning: "A few days ago, Diane Donovan sent me her review of my upcoming title Come the Morning. I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated the work and professionalism she put into the review. It was well written, thorough, and showed a much-appreciated deal of thought and effort."
Greg Bahora, for Centerlife: "I want to thank Diane for her quick turnaround and most importantly to me—taking the time to immerse herself into the book and its concepts. It’s a real treat for me when someone takes the time to learn Centerlife’s ideas and in Diane’s case, reflect and articulate those ideas in print. Thanks so much for the progressive, positive, and highly insightful review. I really appreciate when someone takes the time to understand the ideas to the extent they’re able to reflect and articulate them—a rare treat for this eternal dreamer! You nailed it."
N. Reece Ho-Sheffield, Author, Reece’s Vintage Tales: "Diane Donovan is a gifted top-notch professional whose penetrating insight coupled with thirty-five years of invaluable experience into book reviews is par excellence and second to none. She’s honest yet gracious, and constructive yet generous and so giving me a marvellous impetus to continue writing in the genre of children’s fictional books. Diane Donovan also offers customised marketing plans and pre-publication critiques. I thoroughly recommend her services to any author seeking a high quality professional review and fruitful means of promoting their work."
John Arvai, Author, Neat Freaks: "This is just a quick message to recognize Diane's superb work by providing another very impressive review for my latest title called, Neat Freaks. This is my second time using Diane to review one of my books and she does an outstanding job with her summaries and always exceeds her promised delivery dates. My first book that Diane reviewed has gone on to win twelve independent book awards (and has even been adapted into a school play) so hopefully Diane's positive words will contribute to similar successes for this one. ;)"
Andrew Diamond, Author, To Hell With Johnny Maniac: "I just wanted to tell you how pleased I've been with Diane Donovan's work over the past few years. She writes thoughtful, balanced reviews that give readers a good sense of a book's flavor and appeal, as well as its strengths and weaknesses. One of the jobs of a reviewer, in my opinion, is to guide readers toward books they may enjoy while steering them away from books that will waste their time. I write in the mystery/thriller genre, and I've found that readers who favor classic crime and noir really like my books, while readers who like cozies and technical procedurals don't like my books at all. Because Diane's reviews are descriptive and informative, providing concise overviews and illustrating the tenor of the writing with well-selected quotes, she's helped guide new readers toward my work, and has probably saved a good number from wasting time on books they wouldn't like. I've also taken a few of her criticisms of my past work to heart to improve subsequent works."
M.N. Snow, Author, Monkey Man: "Once again I am pleased with the quality and professionalism of Diane Donovan. She reviewed my latest novel Monkey Man. She returned her review in a timely manner and her follow-up was exemplary. She previously reviewed my novel The Helper and I was so impressed with her work that I asked for her again with Monkey Man."
J. M. Huxley, Author, Milk and Honey Land: "I was quite pleased with Diane's perspective! She noticed details about my writing that I had assumed would be overlooked. She was thorough and positive and I am grateful for her effort on my behalf!"
David Laszlo Conhaim, Author, All Man's Land: "It is truly challenging to find open-minded reviewers for Westerns these days, even for those which push the genre. Diane’s receptivity to this high-concept tribute to Paul Robeson—which, regrettably, even the African American media has so far passed on—and her favorable and deep reading of it, has already provided its author with a decisive building block with which to market his novel. Moreover, Diane was graciously open to my feedback in a way that made the review all the sounder."
Harvey Havel, Author, The Wild Gypsy of Arbor Hill: "The review was expertly written by Diane Donovan, who really did cover all of the important themes of the book and also really honed down the book’s strengths as well as the several aspects of it that careful readers of literary fiction would take immediate interest in. The review was exceptionally well-written and suggested her significant prior expertise and experience in reading contemporary literature and being knowledgeable enough to write near-flawless reviews about that literature. I am very happy with Ms. Donovan and the work that she did, and because of that, I will return to her whenever I publish any other work in future."
Hy Brett, Author, The Hitman of Avenue U: "For years I was a journalist at a NYC newspaper where the famed book columnist gave short shrift to her reviews and even boasted of how little she bothered to read and of how many books she could knock off in a short period. Happily, Ms. Donovan takes her mission much more seriously, and it shows in her thorough and insightful reviews."
Zoe Tasia, Author, Kilts & Catnip: "I am delighted with Diane's review. She covered many aspects of my book including the treatment of the Scottish accent, the romantic and paranormal elements, the first-person point of view, and the role of family in the story, to name but a few. Ms. Donovan was prompt in responding to my emails, and professional."
Grace Allison Blair, Author, Einstein's Compass: a YA Time Traveler Adventure: "Diane responded to my inquiry to review my novel immediately and requested my book and author details. I received her review of Einstein's Compass yesterday with the schedule of when it would be released to the public. Diane took the time to understand the theme of darkness and light, the motivation of each character as well as their intricate nature in the story. I love Diane's honest review !"
Fiona Harewood, Author, I Did It . . .You Can, Too!: "I must confess, I was very nervous when the library requested that I obtain a review from a professional reviewer. I didn't know what to expect. Now I am happy. Diane Donovan did my review and I just want to let you know what a great job she did. Coming from someone whom I don't know, it were as if she just read my mind in her review, but then again, she read my book. I had no doubt about that. My experience with her was also very professional and timely also."
Antonio Simon, Jr., Esq., Head of Business Development, Darkwater Syndicate, Inc.: "I would like to express how wonderful it was working with Ms. Diane Donovan. We've worked together in the past, and her diligence and honesty in book reviews are truly valued by our publishing house. She pulls no punches, but delivers key insight and well-reasoned reviews of books."
Harold Thorpe, Author, Strawberry Summer "Diane Donovan just completed a review of my manuscript, “Strawberry Summer.” She was a pleasure to work with and wrote a thorough and comprehensive review of my manuscript, focusing on the story’s main theme. I highly recommend her for future work."
Anna Minte, Author, Q1: A Survival Guide to Adulting: "After having worked with Diane, I have to share my satisfaction with her service.
Diane was prompt in her responses to my inquiries and very concise in her timing and delivery of the final review. She covered, in a short yet admirable review, every aspect of the book. I will be delighted to work with her in the future and do recommend her services to upcoming and established authors."
Lawrence J. Epstein, Author, The Dead Don't Talk: "I am writing to let you know how pleased I was with the perceptive and intelligent review. It will be useful for readers to decide if they wish to read the book. I've had reviewers who clearly hadn't read more than a book's summary, but Ms. Donovan had obviously read through the entire book and that showed in the review. I appreciate her efforts."
Elle Lewis, Author, The Dark Touch: "Ms. Diane Donovan was such a pleasure to work with. She provided a wonderful review of my debut novel, Dark Touch. She was professional, timely, and just a dream to work with. Her review was personalized and detailed. It was truly an incredible review and an overall great experience."
Matt Michel, Author, Strxia: The Odds Are Against Us: "I felt Diane's written review was fair, factual, and well-written. I think the thing that impressed me, though, was that it seems like she STUDIED the book as opposed to just reading it. She has managed to arrive at all of what I consider the crucial features of the book during her study and has written a review that puts forth those features. Her review is frank and to the point on both positive aspects and points a book buyer may want to be careful with, which I think will lead to people respecting the review. I liked that she gave an option for me to fact check and look for typos in the review before it posted. This added a touch of professionalism I really appreciated."
Cherie Kephart, Author, A Few Minor Adjustments, The Healing 100 and Poetry of Peace: "This is my third book being reviewed by Diane Donovan and I wanted to reach out and tell you what an excellent job she did. For each of my books, she has constructed a thorough and well-written review. I appreciate her time and attention to details and also to communicating so clearly to the readers what they can expect from each book."
Twilah Hiari, Author, Regression: "I’m writing to let you know I was incredibly happy with Diane Donovan’s review of my book. I appreciate how she discussed not only the broad thematic points of my book, but also how readers may respond to it. I’m better at writing books than I am at writing reviews of reviewer performance, so I’ll sum it up to say I'm very pleased and would recommend D. Donovan’s services to any author or publisher."
Michael Winn, Author, The Curing Room: "I wanted to write you a short note to let you know how pleased I am with Diane's review. The service was fast and professional. The review was smart, insightful, and very well-written. I wish all book reviewers had such vast knowledge and experience. "
William Harry Harding, Publisher, Garden Oak Press: "Diane Donovan just delivered both reviews. These were two entirely different projects -- one a memoir, one a poetry collection (The Warrior and What Luck, respectively) -- and the reviews were thoughtful and thorough. And delivered so quickly. Diane is a first-rate professional."
More Accolades for 2018
Stephan von Clickerhoffen, Author, Stig’s Flight of Encounters and War of Chaos: "It was a refreshing change to see a Reviewer take so much time and effort to read the story from start to finish as Diane obviously has due to her complete understanding of the books. She has even picked up where many have not about the transmission of thoughts in colour and of how the reader is embedded into the main story and not just fed the plot of a new world. Diane has simply been a pleasure to work with and shines above others."
Maureen Aitken, Author, The Patron Saint of Lost Girls: "I was most impressed by the depth of Diane's review, where she quoted the most significant parts, and including a line that was so striking. What a wonderful interpretation of the book."
Rozsa Gaston, Author, Anne and Louis: "I’d like to thank you for the review of Anne and Louis. You did a terrific job. I was blown away by the amount of detail and precision you put into the review. "
Lance Crossley, Author, A Child is a Piece of Paper: "All an artist really wants is for someone to receive their work in an authentic way. To really absorb its essence. Even if Diane wrote a negative review, but still absorbed that essence, I would still be writing this accolade. The very first extract she quoted from my book was the very essence of the novel. So out of 70K+ words, she took the exact needle from the haystack of what it was all about. I really appreciate that sensitivity and how attuned she was to the message. Every artist puts him or herself out on the line. And positive or negative, we just want to have a competent receiver on the other end of the line. Diane is one of them."
John McNeil/Al E. Boy, Author, The Adventures of Fawn: 'Til the Last Snowflake Falls: "I’ve been very lucky in that, for a ‘first-time’ author, my book has garnered very favorable reviews from everyone. What I truly appreciate about Diane Donovan’s ‘take’ is that she delved into the philosophical questions posed throughout the tale, understood and took note of the dynamic between the many characters, and still gave due attention to the story line and the gist of what it was truly all about. Not to mention…I have had reviews which seemed to follow a “Thirty words or less” philosophy, and still left me wondering if they’d actually read the book. (One reviewer said it was an enjoyable ‘quick read’. It’s over 300 pages) I knew beyond any doubt she had read every single page! Kudos to Ms. Donovan for her expert perspective, professional approach, and the lovely manner in which she writes! I am much, much more than impressed!"
Belo Cipriani, Owner, Oleb Books: "I am delighted with Diane's work. She is detailed oriented, and delivered all communication on time. In an industry where book reviews requests regularly get ignored, working with Diane was a refreshing experience."
Troy Tyson, Author, The Yankee Way: "I was very pleased with the review services provided by Ms. Diane Donovan for my book, The Yankee Way: The Blueprint that Created America. Her review was balanced, fair, and showed that she had done her homework."
Rosemary Davis, Author, Before They Left Us: "I've enjoyed
working with Diane Donovan. She is prompt, a wonderful writer and uses fresh
language. Mostly, she understood my book and gave it a fair and detailed
review!"
Don Grant, Author, The Singularity Witness: "I just wanted
to express my appreciation for Diane Donovan's review of my debut thriller, The
Singularity Witness. Diane proved to be professional, thoughtful and
insightful, and provided a good turnaround of her review. Her review
covered the context and essentials of the story and its lead characters,
and provided fair representation."
Carroll Green, Author, Almost Heaven: "Ms. Donovan
accurately and poignantly captured the essence of my work. Her keen
analysis and evaluation of my work is greatly appreciated. Diane Donovan, in my
opinion, is the consummate professional."
Darlene Chan, Publicist, for The
Light in His Soul: "I had a recent wonderful experience
with Diane. She reviewed a client's book (The Light in His Soul). She
instinctively understood the book and her review is articulate and
well-written. When I pointed out a few issues with phrasing, she was quick to
correct them and they never compromised the integrity of the review. I would
not hesitate to work with her again."
Reena Kumarasingham, Author, Shrouded Truth: "I just wanted to let you know that the Italian rights for Shrouded Truth has been picked up by a publisher.... and this is largely due to your lovely review. They have been hanging back from making a decision and when I sent the review to them, they offered to pick it up. So thank you so much for the wonderful review again. I truly appreciate it."
Michael Craft, Author, Flabbergassed: "Diane Donovan was a pleasure to work with. She’s a perceptive reader and a well-organized writer. I especially appreciated the back-and-forth she allowed, encouraging tweaks and assuring factual accuracy."
Bill Mesce, Jr., Author, Four Days to Trinity: "Just wanted to drop a line of appreciation regarding Ms. Donovan’s coverage of my e-novel from Endeavour Press, FOUR DAYS TO TRINITY. Granted, I’m biased since she did give me a lovely review, but I was impressed that she managed, in her description of the novel, to do justice to what I think is a challenging construct. Her judgment aside, it’s a well-written, succinct piece."
Bill Harding, Author, Three Women and the River: "Diane Donovan did a thorough job and got to the heart of the book, which is all any novelist can hope for."
Shaun, Publisher at The Mantle, for Sweden: "Diane Donovan is highly communicative and sets clear expectations for her work. I also just saw a draft of her forthcoming review. I'm pleased to see she gave the book a serious reading, and was pleasantly surprised she zeroed in on an aspect of the book that other reviewers haven't passed over. "
John Schroeter, John August Media, LLC, for Moonshots: "What a wonderful experience it was having our book, Moonshots, reviewed by Diane Donovan. I am always intrigued by the observations, takeaways, and interesting connections readers make in the context of such content, and Diane's were particularly insightful -- and actually helpful in how we will talk about the book."
Linda L. Keenan, Author, The Journal: "I recently received a review by Diane Donovan of my novel, The Journal. It was a pleasure working with her. She was professional, straightforward and communicated clearly regarding what she needed in order to write her review. She performed everything that she said she would do and within the time that she said she would do it. Diane's review captured the essence of my novel and offered examples of what she liked about it. She also pointed out the audience who will enjoy my book. Her review will serve me well in my marketing and social media posts."
Linda Nielsen, Author, Because I'm Worth It: "Diane Donovan was professional, kind and considerate when she reviewed my book, Because I'm Worth It. My publisher had some questions and Diane answered them with ease. She is knowledgeable and easy to work with. She was willing to make adjustments that didn't pull from her integrity as a reviewer yet kept everyone happy."
Maurice A. Williams, Author, My Career as a Book Reviewer Defending the Faith: "Diane Donovan just finished a review of my book “My Career as a Book Reviewer Defending the Faith.” She sent me a draft of her review as a courtesy to show that she did read my book and to give me a chance to correct any errors. I could not be more pleased with her review. She is a real professional, and she is fair in her review of my book. She says she takes pride in producing accurate, honest, well-written reviews. She certainly did it with her review of my book."
Barry Boyce, Author, Astronomy & Natural History Connections: "Yes, Diane gave the book high marks. But it was much more than that. There was a lot of interaction regarding some of the details, and the way it was handled was extremely professional. Compared to other companies, one of which didn’t even read the book before reviewing it (it’s easy to tell), she did a great job."
Carroll Green , Author, Almost Heaven: "Ms. Donovan accurately and poignantly captured the essence of my work. Her keen analysis and evaluation of my work is greatly appreciated. Diane Donovan, in my opinion, is the consummate professional."
Matthew LeRoy, Author, They Must Be Monsters: "Diane has been
terrific and not just because she enjoyed our book it was her timely,
professionalism and insight in capturing the essence of our book better than we
could do ourselves. Honestly, I was a little apprehensive at first
of which book reviews were considered the most prestigious and respected and
Midwest Book Reviews were time and time again mentioned to us. Now I know
why: it’s because of reviewers like Diane."
Christopher Cooper, Author, From Hell to Happiness: "I just wanted
to take a moment and compliment my reviewer, Diane Donovan. She was not only
complimentary of my book, but more importantly, I got the sense that she
actually read it. Her review was both thoughtful as well as insightful, and I
would be happy to recommend her to other authors if I had the chance."
Madhi Mason, Author, Earth Healing: "I recently had my book ‘Earth Healing’ reviewed by Diane Donovan and wanted to let you know how happy I am with the service. Diane promptly replied to all correspondence, was very professional, and I’m over the moon with the review. I’d use her services again in an instant."
Tim Brown, Author, Squatter's Gold: "I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how pleased I am with the prepublication review of my novel by Diane Donovan. Her timely and thorough review really got to the core and context of what I was trying to do with the novel."
Steven Burgauer, Author, Moon Beam: "I have written more than a few books in my time, the most recent being "Moon Beam." I work hard to write a credible story and have it properly edited before presenting it to the public. My books extend from historical fiction to science fiction and Diane Donovan reads carefully for content and writes a beautiful, sincere, and quality review."
Kelly Huddleston, Publisher, Open Books: "Wanted to write a short note letting you know how pleased we are with Diane Donovan's fantastic reviews of three titles in the Open Books catalog, The 13 by Lorin R. Robinson, In An Empty Room by Stephen Spotte, and Beneath the Same Heaven by Anne Marie Ruff. The same enthusiasm for the quality of Diane's reviews is shared by the authors. We are pleased to include snippets of reviews in our online promotions, on back cover texts, and we enjoy republishing Diane's full reviews in our adjunct book magazine, bookglow.net. We look forward to working with her in the future."
Margery Walshaw, Author, Billions Lost: "I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how pleased I am with Diane Donovan’s review of Billions Lost. It was insightful and she obviously took a lot of time to carefully read the book and craft a review. It isn’t a fast read, and she certainly absorbed the subject matter. I couldn’t be happier."
Andrew Diamond, Author, Gate 76: "I received a thoughtful and well-written review of my forthcoming book, Gate 76, from Diane Donovan. This is the second title of mine she's reviewed (Impala was the first), and in both cases, I've been pleased with the concision and quality of her reviews, as well as her courtesy and professionalism."
P. Anastasia, Author, Fates Aflame: "I am very pleased with my experience with Diane Donovan and she was incredibly courteous and prompt with her emails, as well as thorough with attention to details in her assessment of the book."
E.B. Mann, Author, Karina: "If my book was as well written as Diane's review, I would already be a bestseller."
Joe Lewis, Author, Caught in a Web: "I can't tell you how pleased I was with the review written by Ms. Diane Donovan, and how easy she was to work with. Her review was one of the most thorough I have ever received on any of the five books I've written. I just want you to know what a true professional she is. She cares and works to get it right."
Michael Goddart, Author, In Search of Lost Lives: "She was very professional and prompt. Her understanding of this challenging spiritual memoir was astute and mature."
George Rothery, Author, A Summer Again: "Diane Donovan was the nicest and most pleasant person to deal with. I am very pleased with my review, and even if it was bad I still would be writing you to tell you that you are lucky to have someone with her knowledge and ability to make an author feel comfortable. My Kirkus review was good but it was a cold transaction."
Vera Burris, Author, Obedience: "I just received the draft review from Diane Donovan for my book Obedience and couldn't be happier. She had told me to expect it early this month and that's when it came. It was clear she gave it a lot of attention and thought and she "got" what I tried to convey. I don't think anyone could have done better."
Bruce Hartman, Author, The Devil's Chaplain: "It’s very gratifying to have a seasoned publishing professional show such appreciation for what I was trying to accomplish in this book. In fact I can’t think of any review of any of my books that captured my own intentions so accurately."
David Gittlin, Author, Microminum: "Diane is always timely in her responses to my requests, completely reliable in her follow-up, and always on deadline with the edits of my manuscripts. In a word, Diane is exemplary in everything she does."
Craig N. Hooper, Author, The Greatest Good: "I appreciated her well written review of my book and the timeliness in which she completed it. She was incredibly professional and attentive to my email questions. I’ve had two other industry reviews completed for my upcoming novel, The Greatest Good, and Diane’s was the most thoroughly written. It showed me she took great care in reading the novel and crafting an accurate review. I’m delighted with Diane’s work."
John Eidswick, Author, The Language of Bears and The Rabbit Skinners: "Ms. Donovan has reviewed two of my books and has been in my dealings with her remarkably prompt and professional in her summaries and honest reviews of my novels, The Rabbit Skinners and The Language of Bears. Also, she has been quite willing to interact with me to confirm with me that the information she provides about my novels has been rigorously accurate. This is a quite a pleasing contrast with other reviewers I have encountered."
Sebastian Bendix, Author, The Stronghold: "I just wanted to let you know what a great experience I had working with Diane Donovan. Diane was very communicative throughout the process and met all proposed deadlines – a true professional. It was a pleasure working with her and I would gladly recommend her services to other authors."
Nikki Stern, Author, The Former Assassin: "Diane reviewed my forthcoming novel, The Former Assassin. In addition to giving the book what is obviously a careful reading, she was patient and flexible as I sent her several iterations of the ever-evolving cover. Moreover, she treated me, a traditionally published author going “indie” for the first time, as respectfully as I could have wished. I can’t tell you how pleased I am with the experience."
Kiana
Wilson, Author, Too
Sharp to Fail: "It
was a pleasure working with reviewer, Diane Donovan. She
was professional and efficient at all times and kept me in
the loop on what to expect during the review process.
Additionally, I enjoyed the honesty and depth of her review.
Whereas other reviewers may simply provide a short paragraph, Diane
went into more detail regarding the value that readers can
gain. This is especially beneficial to me as I continue to
market and promote the book."
Colonel (Ret) William C. Haponski, Ph.D, Author, Autopsy of an Unwinnable War: Vietnam: "I have sent several book manuscripts to Ms. Diane Donovan and have found her to be a superb reviewer. She reads, understands, and analyzes manuscripts well and captures the contents and tone in her reviews, a trait sadly lacking in some reviewers from other review services. I will continue to use her services and highly recommend her to other authors."
Beverly Diehl, Author, Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n Roll and a Tiara: "I have received and was very pleased with the review of my work by editor Diane Donovan. While she liked the book (always something that makes an author's heart happy), her review was very well-written and extensive, but also pointed out in tactful ways that some readers might object to the content and my sometimes vulgar language. (Because #fuckingcancer). This is extremely helpful, as the readers with wibbles aren't the readers I am seeking."
Curtis Seltzer, Author, The Point of the Pick: "Just a quick note to say thanks for giving my book, The Point of the Pick: A Novel of the 20th Century, to Diane Donovan. It’s a long, involved story. She turned it around quickly, got the points (in a manner of speaking), summarized well, flagged what needed a flag and did it all honestly."
BP Coach, Author, Spiritual Living for Busy People: "I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how pleased I was with my review experience with my reviewer, Diane Donovan. She was very accommodating and easy to work with, and I thought she was very fair and thorough in her review of my book. I'm certain potential buyers will get value from her review when deciding whether to purchase the book for themselves or not. Her communication was excellent as well! I knew exactly when to expect the review to be completed, and when it would be published. Her advice in this regards was invaluable. I really appreciate her candor and her assistance!"
More Accolades for 2017
Gerald Everett Jones, Author, Choke Hold: "This isn't the first time Diane has reviewed one of my books. Her prompt and insightful review of Choke Hold: A Novel is very much appreciated."
David Alan Carter, Author, The 12% Solution: "Diane did a great job reviewing my book The 12% Solution. This is a financial book that gets a little deep into the stock market while defining a strategy that generates a 12% average annual return. It's clear that Diane did a thorough read, and fully absorbed the crux of the strategy. She made a case for the product without giving away the store. I could not have asked for more."
Lou Del Bianco, Author, Out of Rushmore's Shadow: "I just wanted you to know how thrilled I am by Diane’s review of my book, “Out of Rushmore’s Shadow: The Luigi De Bianco Story”. It is so thoughtful, thorough and speaks right to the heart of the book’s intent. Diane’s passion for my grandfather's story jumps right off the page. You have a gem here in Diane."
Mike Avitabile, Author, The Whale in the Cave: "I just wanted to drop a quick note to tell you how pleased I was with the attention that Diane gave to my novel, The Whale in the Cave. Her review was well-written, clear, and struck the right balance of plot description without giving away too much. She even took the time to respond to a couple of questions of mine regarding the overtness of some of the subtext in the manuscript. In contrast with some of the other reviews I received, Diane's analysis and critique of the work reflected that she put serious thought into her words. I received a couple of other reviews that, while still being positive, did not exhibit much more than a cursory analysis of the first few chapters. Diane's review was thoughtful and thorough and I am very happy."
Cheryl Bazzoui, M.A., Author, Pressure Cooker Christmas: "When Diane was so prompt, professional and friendly, I felt assured that I was in good hands. It is refreshing to work with true professionals in the cut-throat business of the publishing world."
Richard Due, Publisher, Gibbering Gnome Press: "Her reviewing skills are top notch, and she’s been a pleasure to work with. A true professional in every way."
Ed Myers, Publisher, Montemayor Press: "Just a brief note to say that I'm very pleased with the two recent reviews that Diane Donovan has written for books I'll be publishing through my independent company, Montemayor Press. One of these books is my own current novel; the other is a collection of essays by an author named Caroline Sutton. Both of Diane's reviews have been thoughtful, perceptive, and well balanced. I'll be quoting from these reviews in promotional materials for the books once I release them in a few weeks."
D.V. Berkom, Author, The Last Deception: "Diane was professional, friendly, and did a thorough job, always keeping me apprised of where and when the review would be posted. All in all, a great experience! "
James Houston Turner, Author, Greco's Game: "I wanted to pass along my appreciation for Diane Donovan's exceptionally professional review standard. So many reviewers consider authors a real nuisance -- and many cases, we are -- but Diane's efficient way of letting me know how the process works and then communicating with me regularly as to where things stood took the anxiety completely out of the process in that regard. It was so refreshing to work with her. "
Terry Schurter, Author, Dark Web Rising: "I do need a "fiction circle" and you've entered it whether you really wanted to or not. I like your perspectives, honesty, and experience. I don't find those qualities a lot. You should also know you are the ONE REVIEWER who actually got the deeper meaning and philosophy in the book. That quote from the book is one of most powerful lines in the whole story! Blew me away when I read your review and you'd grabbed it. Felt a little thrill run down my arms... (the entire review was really insightful)."
Michael Hill, Author, War Poet: "Diane Donovan just posted a review of my book WAR POET and I couldn't be more thrilled with her work. It was a thoughtful and well-written review and, most gratifying to any author, she got what I tried to convey! She was a delight to work with and was timely and responsive in every way during the process. She is tops!"
John A. Brennan, Author: "Ms. Diane Donovan has reviewed 3 of my books so far and I am very happy with her assessments of my work. Her reviews are no-nonsense appraisals and right on the mark. When she reads a book, she READS it."
Alexes Razevich, Author, The Girl With Stars in Her Hair: "I wanted to drop you a line to tell you how pleased I was with Diane's review of my book, The Girl with Stars in her Hair. It was clear from the review that she'd carefully read the book and considered the story's merits--exactly what any author wants from every reader and doesn't always get."
Peggy Lampman, Author, The Welcome Home Diner: "I've had experiences with other professional reviewers and my experience with Ms. Donovan has been different. Reviews of my first novel, THE PROMISE KITCHEN, seemed formulaic, as if the reviewer had a word quota to fill. This particular review got to the essence of what, at least this author, was trying to impart with her story."
Katrina Shawver, Author, Henry – A Polish Swimmer’s True Story of Friendship from Auschwitz to America: "I wanted to pass on my compliments for Diane Donovan's thoughtful and prompt review of Henry – A Polish Swimmer’s True Story of Friendship from Auschwitz to America. It's clear from her review that she thoroughly read the book and its content, as opposed to a quick scan. Her comments were specific, thoughtful, identified key points in the message, and also explained what distinguishes the book from all others in the genre. I, of course, appreciate it's a very positive review, but also that it's genuine, thorough, and put together with much thought."
Charles Levin, Author, Not So Dead: "Just wanted to drop you a note to tell you how pleased I am with the review Diane did of my book, NOT SO DEAD. Her attention to detail, compelling use of language and of course, her conclusion were terrific. She obviously spent plenty of time with the book and it shows in the thoroughness of her work."
Aadil Farook, Author, Inspired Discourses: "I have had the privilege and honor of getting 2 books reviewed by Diane. Professional integrity, intellectual credibility, literary acumen, friendly communication and honesty are her hallmarks. On a personal note, for an author who has always felt misunderstood at home, it was simply a wonderful experience to be known at a microscopic level by a stranger."
John Arvai, Author, Off the Hook: "I want to take a moment to let you know how pleased I am with Diane’s coverage for my book, Off the Hook: A Christmas Ornament Adventure. To say I’m extremely pleased with her review would be an understatement; however, what has really impressed me is how thorough she is. Not only did she recommend postponing my published review from January to September to maximize the exposure for my seasonal book but she also remembered to email months later and allow time for revisions. This has been key as the book has done well in some national contests since we last spoke which she has now incorporated into her review. I must also point that Diane was first to recommend this book well before any contests weighed in. Clearly she knows this business."
James McCrone, Author, Dark Network: "Diane just sent me her draft review. It's concise, well written, informative, and it gives a nice flavor of the work without giving away spoilers. Obviously, I'm very pleased she produced a positive review, but she's been professional and thorough throughout the process. She was in contact about the process, guidelines and timing. And she delivered within the timeframe she originally stated. A few too many of the big reviewers are opaque--glaucous!--about their process, timing, whether they'll review a title...even if they've received a title. Ms. Donovan was transparent, clear-eyed and professional."
Iris Dorbin, Author, An Epiphany in Lilacs: "I just received the draft of Diane Donovan's review of my book "An Epiphany in Lilacs: In the Aftermath of the Camps" and have to write to express how impressed I am with how thorough, detailed and insightful Diane's review is. Too often professional book reviewers write reviews that are nothing more than exercises in banality or minimal effort--a synopsis and maybe two lines and that's it. But Diane's review goes beyond that--she offers a perceptive and eloquent analysis that even references actual quotes from the book! I'm a very pleased author."
Lori Robbins, Author, Lesson Plan for Murder: "Diane Donovan reviewed my mystery novel, Lesson Plan for Murder, and I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the time and care she took in reviewing the book. Diane was precise, thoughtful, and insightful. She quoted specific passages and provided a depth of analysis and an attention to detail that any writer would appreciate. I'm grateful to have had her as my reviewer."
Margaret Spearman, Author, When They Were Young: "Ms. Donovan did a thorough read and her written review was balanced and explained a complex storyline without giving away its ending. She did an excellent review. I will be using her review on the back of the paperback and in marketing efforts leading up to the October 26th release as well as afterwards. This is the second time that she has reviewed a Horn novel. While her first review was very well done, this review by Ms. Donovan excels in explaining her rationale for her favorable review of the book."
Rick DeStefanis, Author, Valley of the Purple Hearts: "Diane Donovan did a very good job reading and reviewing my most recent novel. She showed a high degree of analytical insight into the book’s deeper and more meaningful intent.”
Jason F. Boggs, Author, The Devil's Dragon: "An author's dream reviewer is someone who has a full appreciation of the story and the messages that it conveys through its characters and even if its a negative review, at least the reader was taken on the intended journey; which I've always regarded as a movie between the ears. I think that your review pretty much nailed it and I am so pleased that you enjoyed my space opera - Thank you!"
Joanne Meredith, Editor at Glyphus, for The Happy Chip: "It was a delight to work with Diane. She clearly stated what an author could expect from her review, her time-frame was exactly as she said it would be, and the review was honest and thorough. It was a wonderful experience to be working with a professional reviewer and a well-run organization.”
Roxanne Bland, Author, for The Underground, 2nd Edition: "I just wanted to say how much I appreciate Ms. Donovan's review of my book, The Underground: Second Edition. Ms. Donovan's review was clear and well-thought out. It shows she took the time to actually read the book, instead of just skimming through it. Her insights were amazing--she saw things that I didn't realize were there. For example, she called it part murder mystery. Thinking on it, I suppose it is, but that never occurred to me while I was writing it. I think Ms. Donovan is a keeper, a real asset .”
Dada Maheshvarananda, Author, Cooperative Games for a Cooperative World: "My publisher, InnerWorld Publications, and I are very pleased with the review of my book, Cooperative Games for a Cooperative World: Facilitating Trust, Communication and Spiritual Connection by Diane Donovan. She really understood the essence of the book and connected the dots to write an essay that goes to the heart of the themes. Very professionally done..”
Judith Petres Balogh, Author, The Reluctant Trophy Wife: "Diane Donovan has gone out on a very fragile limb to read and to write about a self-published book but she did it and has done an unbelievably good job of it. Not only is her style fluent, lucid and thoroughly professional, but she fully understood the spirit of the novel and her attention to the structure as well as to the details is a shining example of good and useful review writing. Reading it anyone would know what the book is about, and yet she did not give away the story line. Perfect! I do not know who else works on your staff, but I am sure she must be Number One. I am not the only one who feels this way about Ms. Donovan's review: within twenty-four hours I received this note from one of my readers, a retired teacher to whom I sent Ms. Donovan's writing: "THAT is a wonderful review by a professional reviewer ... The review is so good...it says much more than I could have written and she is "spot on" as the Brits say." Those, who read the book liked it, were downright enthusiastic about it, but not one of my readers understood it as you have."
Simm McCord, Author, The Deuce: "I could tell from her review that she looked deeper into my book, The Deuce, than I had expected out of someone who has so many works to review.”
Jeff Gunhus, Author, Resurrection America: "Thanks to the professional and pleasant experience with Diane Donovan, I couldn’t be happier. I just received Ms. Donovan’s review this morning. She clearly expressed the plot and theme in a succinct and interesting way that, frankly, left me a little jealous as I’m terrible at such things.”
Mike Stewart, Author, Keep in a Cold Dark Place: "Diane's review was exceptional. I know I may be a bit biased because she enjoyed my book, but I really felt she went above and beyond to ensure the readers understood the type of book they'd be getting, which can only help me attract the right sort of reader.”
T.R. Lloyd, Author, Watercolours Revealed!: "I believe
that Diane does an incredibly good job with her reviews. She tells it like it is, pure and simple. To me, her reviews support the concerns of readers/buyers, authors and her affiliates."
M.N.
Snow, Author, The
Helper: "I
found Diane's piece to be a thoughtful, well reasoned review that
captured what was going on in the book very well. She really
seemed to get the gist of what I was hoping to write. To my
mind it was a truly professional review and I appreciate the effort
she put into it! Her correspondence with me was also first
rate
and helpful."
Denis S. Hurley, Author, Delia and Reid: "Speaking as objectively as I can, Diane's review hit the nail on the head perfectly. It’s no mean feat to describe a 460 000 words book in under 700 words so well. I keep reading the review trying to see where I should suggest something to be added but I can’t find that place. For those who know me, this is a big compliment to her professionalism and experience. Her points on flux, non-linear presentation, and keeping the reader unsure about ‘what’s round the next corner’ were intentional aspects; she picked these points up without any communication by me—others haven’t. She delivered on time and clearly communicated what she’d be doing."
Larrita Browning, Author, I Believe in Butterflies: "The review completed by Diane was professionally done and conveyed the essence of the book and its message. So often, book reviewers don't actually take the time to read the book in which their expert opinion has been sought. I am thankful this was not the case with Diane."
Shari Staunch, Publisher, WhereWritersWin.com, for Gradle Bird: "I work with a LOT of authors and publishing professionals; it becomes quickly apparent who just goes through the motions and who genuinely loves what they do and their contribution to the publishing world. Ms. Donovan’s a gem."
Heather Murray, Author, Among Friends: "Diane provides extremely professional service. She’s serious about providing useful book reviews to potential readers and institutional buyers, and she’s fair to authors."
Aimee Oswald Sellars, Author, Faete: "Diane Donovan recently reviewed my Young Adult Paranormal novel, FAETE. Working with Diane was a pleasure from start to finish. I found Diane to be prompt, professional and responsive to any questions or concerns I had. Her communication skills are excellent. I felt Diane was really able to convey the essence of the story, without
Alvin
R. Brown, Author, Native
American Action Stories: "As
the author of Native American Action Stories, I could not have
written a better review of what I intended the book to convey. You
understood the nuances of this work from the unusual formats (plays
and narratives in not special order throughout the chapters) and the
lack of bows-and-arrow clashes on every other page. But most of
all....for your understanding the mindset and feelings of a
15-year-old boy living in those times. Good Job!”
Olivia Kate Cerrone, Author, The Hunger Saint: "I recently received Diane Donovan's review of The Hunger Saint (Bordighera Press, 2017), my historical novella about the child laborers of Sicily, and I wanted to express my deepest gratitude regarding Ms. Donovan's fine work. I really appreciate the smart, thorough and honest insight that she provided. I deeply appreciate how easy Ms. Donovan made this process and I feel very lucky to have her generous insight regarding her review of my work.”
Melissa Mastro, Author, The Waterfall Traveler: "These were the things I think Diane did really well:
1. She was very prompt to send me her review, and delivered it when she said she would. She is clearly a very organized and dependable reviewer.
2. She included excerpts from the book, which helped me understand what types of passages a reader may find gripping. This will be extremely helpful during my marketing initiatives.
3. The review was incredibly well written with some great phrases I can add to the back of my book, sell sheet, and editor review sections on online retailer websites and my own.
4. She was very informative about the process, the archiving of the review, and the issue it would appear in."
Aaron-Michael Hall/Newland Moon, Author, Rites of Heirdron: "Diane Donovan is extremely courteous and professional. She kept me informed regarding every aspect of the review process and produced an exemplary written review ahead of schedule. It was a pleasure to have her reading and reviewing my novel.”
Richard Barager, Author, The Atheist and the Parrotfish: "Diane Donovan's review of my novel was thoughtful and thorough. She clearly did not simply go through the motions, as some volume reviewers are inclined to do, but rather took her task seriously and put real effort into the review process. Book reviewers play a huge role as curators of our work and Diane should be commended for her willingness to serve.”
Susan Fleet, Author, Natalie's Dilemma: "Just a quick note to tell you what a fine job Diane Donovan did with her review of Natalie's Dilemma. She has reviewed other books of mine, but Natalie's Dilemma is a crime thriller with a particularly complex plot and two complex characters. However she captured my intent perfectly."
Rolynda Tassan, Author, Lucy Finds a Home: "I recently had my book, Lucy Finds a Home, reviewed by Diane Donovan, and I wanted to let you know what a great experience I had from the very beginning. When I sent her emails, she was very prompt letting me know she had received them and confirming that she had received any attachments that I may have had. She worked with me, in a very professional friendly manner, when I had to delay sending my manuscript, due to some illustration changes. Her review was very thorough and completed in the time frame she promised.
This is the first book in the Lucy's Tale series and I am looking forward to working with Diane in the future."
Susan Wilcox, Author, Bullies, Coasters, Hermits & Heroes: "Three books that I have written were assigned to Diane Donovan for review. I'm writing to let you know how pleased I am with her work. She was prompt, efficient, and helpful. She went out of her way to answer questions and to make sure I understood the review process. With respect to her work, I am sure you are aware of her keen ability to highlight aspects of books that many might overlook. Her reviews are fair in that she both calls attention to items needing correction and that she outlines, in convincing detail, why a book makes for good reading. As for her writing style, it is impeccable. I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to have my work reviewed by Diane Donovan.”
More Accolades for 2016
Betta Ferrendelli, Author of the Award-Winning Samantha Church mystery series: "I just wanted to take a minute to let you know that I have worked with Diane Donovan for nearly the last five years, as she has read and reviewed all of my releases. She has read all three books in my mystery series featuring reporter Samantha Church and the two books I have in the contemporary fiction genre, include my newest release, Last Things, which she just read and reviewed. I have always been so pleased with her work. I feel as though she really does understand what my books are about and her reviews truly reflect that (and she reads and reviews quickly, which is also a plus!). I have always been most appreciative of her review for Revenge is Sweet, the second book in the Samantha Church mystery series. Some readers have given me poor reviews on that book because they don't like some of the decision my main character has/had to be make. What I liked most about Diane's review of that book is that she understood that there are often many times we make decisions/choices simply because we have to and sometimes they aren't always the best."
Loralee Evans, Author, Felicity and the Fire Stoppers: "I wanted to let you know how pleased I am with Ms. Donovan's work. She has reviewed my last two books, and has done a great job with each one. I appreciate that she is thorough in her review without giving away spoilers. She has been very professional in our correspondences, and has always gotten the reviews back to me in a timely manner. It has been a pleasure having her review my work.”
Mia
Kerick, Author, In
a Gilded Cage: "I
am very happy with Diane
Donovan’s reviews of my books. Her reviews are consistently honest and
detailed, and she always finds the deeper meaning in my books, and
presents it
in a timely fashion. Her language is expressive, and she provides
researched
background information on the themes that I write about to enhance the
meaning
of her words. I have come back to Diane time and again for reviews, and
I will
return to request a review for my next book… and the one after that.”
Christine
Z. Mason,
Author, Weighing the Truth: "Diane
Donovan did a superb job reviewing my legal thriller, Weighing the Truth. As
a former death
penalty attorney, I can say without reservation that Diane's review
accurately
reflects the legal complexities of capital litigation, while at the
same time
discussing the themes and deeper personal issues of the characters. And
she
does all of this without giving away too much of the plot, which isn't
easy to
do.”
Michael
Cuddehe,
Author, The Politics of Unity: "it
has been a pleasure working with Ms Donovan. She has been responsive
and
professional, stating clearly what was expected of me, and delivering
exactly
what was promised in a timely manner. How refreshing! I am really
happy with the review, which was
much better than I had hoped for. The
Politics of Unity deals with a complex array of
issues, and she took
the time to really absorb it, and produce a well written review that
reflects
the spirit as well as the substance of the book."
Vincent Panettiere, Author, These Thy Gifts: "It is lovely to receive a favorable review, but so much more satisfying
to read that the reviewer has taken the time to get into the meat of the story, to see and to explain in terms I could not. Without question it was the most incisive review the book has received. For me, whether the reader/reviewer "likes" or "doesn't like" my book matters less than if they find more than just beginning, middle and end of the story. Diane, better than anyone else got thru the story to find the subtext and expressed it better than I ever could.”
Carla D. Bass, Author, Write to Influence: "Write to Influence!, a specialized book on the art of writing powerfully, is difficult to review -- but Diane Donovan nailed it! This task required an inherent understanding of the written word and how it can – or cannot – be effectively applied. Diane displayed that critical insight. She immediately grasped the shortfalls inherent in contemporary business writing, those same shortfalls that also impede talented individuals from successfully competing for selective opportunities such as scholarships or job vacancies. She succinctly summarized the essence of the writing tools and strategies the book conveys by which to make each word count and every second of the reader’s time play to the writer’s advantage .She found – and understood – the heart of the book. I am so very grateful that Write to Influence! found its way into Diane’s hands.”
Lonnie Ostrow, Author, Poet of the Wrong Generation: "Diane provided a timely and thoughtful review of the book which I will be most proud to circulate to my reader base upon it's posting. Ms. Donovan clearly took the time to read and digest the novel, recognizing the nuances of the characters and identifying many of the key moments from the storyline. I am most appreciative.”
Tomasz Chrusciel, Author, Fast Tracy to Glory: "Diane is an outstanding reviewer, and I consider myself a very happy man because my novel was sent just to the right person. The review is accurate and thorough. Diane doesn’t repeat the comments the book gathered from other editorial sites; it’s so important to me that she goes much further into the essence of the story. She not only sees action and adventure aspects of my novel but beautifully and honestly emphasises its complexity and attention to detail – the very elements in my writing I’m very and humbly proud of.”
Javier Perez, Page-Turner Publicity: "Diane Donovan consistently writes concise, fair, and thoughtful reviews for our clients. She’s also extremely organized and always gets things to us on time. She’s truly a professional.”
Leeza Carlone Steindorf, Author, Connected Parent, Empowered Child: "Just this week, Diane Donovan produced a review of my work Connected Parent, Empowered Child: Five Keys to Raising Happy, Confident, Responsible Kids. I’ve read hundreds of reviews in my line of work and they are not all worth their weight. This review, of my own work even, I found to be clear, fair, informative and comprehensive. Ms. Donovan truly grasped the expansiveness of the subject matter and nailed the core of the book at the application of lessons wed to consistent modeling.”. ”
Terri A. DeMitchell, Author, Chelsea Creek to Bunker Hill: Spring 1775: "Diane’s review was very thoughtful and thorough and she was extremely professional and responsive during the process. So, when I needed some assistance with my soon to be published middle school mystery, Faking It, I didn't hesitate to contact her regarding her literary services. She provided suggestions to strengthen the story, copy editing and wrote a review. Once again, she exceeded my expectations regarding quality of services and all work was completed in a very reasonable time frame and at a very reasonable fee. I will definitely use her services again and will recommend her to others.”
Flo
Selfman, PR
Consultant, WordsaLaMode.: "
Alex Siegel, Author, First Circle Club, et.al.: "I just wanted to let you know how great a job Diane is doing as a reviewer. I've published 22 novels, and she has reviewed them all. Her work is always on-time and professional. She doesn't have a personal agenda like so many other reviewers. She actually reads the books instead of just the previews. It's been a pleasure working with her for the last several years. ”
Adam Collins, Author, Obsidian/The Bloodthorn Series.: "Diane is a wonderful and generous reviewer and a complete professional. Asking her to review my book was the best decision ever!”
Saurabh Kikani, Chief Creative Officer, Super Amazing Princess Heroes: "My team and I were assigned Diane Donovan to review our upcoming children's book "The Gift of Gift: A Super Amazing Princess Heroes Adventure". Diane's review was well-written and truly appreciated (always nice to get a good review!).
Additionally, she was extremely professional, timely, and warm through every step of the review process. We appreciated it to no end! We look forward to working with Diane again.”
Tom Holt, Author, Oblique: "I just received Diane Donovan’s review of “Oblique.” She absolutely nailed it — the theme, the variations on theme, the characters, and the underlying (oblique :-) intent of the book. I am especially appreciative and encouraged because hers was an independent review without prior knowledge; that she understood the book, as expressed in her review, is wonderful. She and I corresponded several times via email, and she was a delight: helpful and encouraging.”
Hunter Murphy, Author, The Curse of the Bridal Chamber: "I wanted to let you know how wonderful Diane Donovan did with my book review! Not only because she gave it a positive review but she REALLY read the book, unlike some of the other reviewers who have picked up my book. She is a really conscientious reader. I could not have asked for better.”
Judy Penz Sheluk, Author, Skeletons in the Attic.: "Too often in this world we only email or call to complain. I try to make it a practice to praise good work and effort, in this case, the review by Diane Donovan of my mystery, Skeletons in the Attic. From the very beginning, Diane was professional and easy to work with, and her review of my book far exceeded my expectations. I would happily hire Diane again, and would be more than willing to provide a reference, if requested.”
Michael Benzehabe, Author, Unassimilated: "Well, that was painless. Diane Donovan was fast, intelligent, and helpful. What more could I ask for?”
Ed
Cobleigh,
Author, The
Pilot.: "Ms Diane Donovan
recently wrote a review of
my novel, The
Pilot: Fighter Planes and
Paris, and did a wonderful job. She
was a delight to work
with, hit the deadline on time, and communicated
well. Most
importantly, she took the time to read the book carefully and comment
intelligently on it. The plot of the book is somewhat
layered and
complex, yet she was able to capture this in her review.
Unlike other reviewers of other books, she did not fall into
the trap of
merely recanting the narrative, but offered insight and depth. Well
done, Diane.”
Ginny Shaddock, Author, My Million Dollar Donkey: "Just wanted to extend my thanks and appreciation for the review written by Diane Donovan and sent to me today. She truly captured the essence of my book's message, and the combination of her intellectual and emotional response to my book made me feel she read it with care and thought, and reviewed it in a professional, well trained way.”
Diane Dettmann, Author, Courageous Footsteps and Yasu's Quest: "I'm so glad I connected with Diane Donovan and she agreed to review both of my books: Courageous Footsteps:A WWII Novel and the sequel, Yasu's Quest a Tale of Triumph. Diane did a fantastic job on the reviews. Her specific detail and insights into the stories created an engaging lens into the the character's lives, the WWII setting of the books and clearly revealed the messages of the books. Her work was professionally done, she was efficient and her feedback very helpful. Diane was a pleasure to work with!”
Shawn Inmon, Author, The Unusual Second Life of Thomas Weaver: "I want to tell you what a pleasure it was to work with Diane. She impressed me immediately by responding quickly and professionally to my initial email, then did a wonderful job of telling me what would happen and when. I actually thought her initial schedule was a bit optimistic, but she hit it bang on. The review itself was clever, well thought out, and insightful. I just wanted you to know what a pleasure she was to work with and what an asset she is.”
Taylor Ytuarte, Book Publicity Services: "I just wanted to drop you a note and let you know what a pleasure it has been to work with Diane. She has been consistently prompt, eloquent, and professional. We at Book Publicity Services as well as our clients have thoroughly enjoyed our experiences thus far in working with Diane. ”
James Marshall Smith, Author, Silent Source: "I just wanted to pass on to you how delightful it was to work with Diane Donovan on my novel that I submitted to her for review. She was quick to turn it around, efficient and clear in her email with me, and is an exceptionally talented reviewer and writer.”
Tyson Cornell, Rare Bird | Archer: "I hope I mentioned this before, but you're the first reviewer that the author says "gets it." ”
Edward Galluzzi, Author, Mirror, Mirror at 1600 D.C: "I want to let you know of my positive, professional experience in working with Diane Donovan, Editor California Bookwatch, who reviewed my book, Mirror, Mirror at 1600 D.C. She was clear about the steps in the review and the information she required from me. Ms. Donovan completed the stages of the review in a timely manner and provided me the links to her review to inform others about my book. It was a pleasant experience working with Ms. Donovan.”
James Arthur, Publications Director, New Research LLC for Tutankhamun's Curse SOLVED.: "We have just received Diane Donovan's draft review of our latest book, "Tutankhamun's Curse SOLVED" and we are well-satisfied with the quality of her work and with the process of working with her. We found her to be very professional and competent and would be happy to have her review future releases.”
Tyson Cornell, publicist, Rare Bird/Archer for Bitter is the Wind: "Diane's review and feedback was spot-on. The publisher, Scott Davis from Cune Press, as well as the author, were very thrilled and impressed by Diane's take on the book."
Lawrence J. Epstein, Author, The Gallery of Missing Husbands: "Thank you, thank you (and add a few more thank yous) for such a kind, perceptive, and well-written review. I really appreciate it!”
StellaMarie Alden, Author, How to Seduce a Queen: "It is a wonderful review. I wouldn't change a thing! Truly, it is a joy when people, 'get me.'For isn't that all that artists want? To be understood? Thank you so much, on so many levels.”
Jendi Reiter, Author, Two Natures: "Thanks for connecting me with Diane Donovan for my forthcoming novel, Two Natures. It was a pleasure to work with her. She grasped the essential goals of my book and wrote beautifully about them. Diane was also great about letting me know the time-frame for the review, and giving me the chance to proofread before it went live. I've been using her review in my marketing copy.”
William Graham, Author, Martian Darkness: "This is a quick note to let you know that as an author how much I appreciate the thoroughness and professionalism of Diane Donovan. She has reviewed several of my books during the past year and I have been impressed by her insightful writing. In other words, she gets the themes and point of the work and conveys it clearly in her reviews. She clearly loves a good story and I am glad that she has read and commented on my work..”
LA Jamison, Author, Self-Publishing Safari: "It was pleasure working with Diane Donovan. She helped me with my book "Self-Publishing Safari: Navigating the Publishing Jungle for Authors". She wrote a good review, very timely and her communication with me was excellent."
Ram Muthiah, Author, Tell My Dad: "I want to let you know that I am very pleased with the review. The process is well defined and my reviewer (Diane Donovan) is systematic, honest and kept me updated in every step of the way. I thank you for the services you provide for authors.”
John Jaegers, Author, Astrologer's Apprentice: "I am very pleased with Diane's timeliness and professionalism. In addition, I feel that her review of Astrologer's Apprentice in the June issue is thoughtful and engaging, accurately capturing the essence of my story. "
DB Michaels, Author, Song of the Blackbird: "Diane Donovan is a fantastic reviewer and so pleasant to work with. Not only is she very readily available by email, she read my book very promptly and finished the review for me early, with weeks to spare. She was the first professional reviewer I worked with and I'm very impressed with her work. Her review was honest and very well-thought out and inspiring. It gave me a huge boost of confidence for my book and I’ve used her quote in a lot of my sales promotions as well as on the back cover of my print book.”
Deborah Hawkins, Author, Dark Moon: "I wanted to compliment Diane Donovan on her very insightful and professional review of my book, Dark Moon, A Legal Thriller. The review was published today. Ms. Donovan can be relied on to produce reviews as promised and on time. Moreover, she does much more than merely summarize the plot of a novel. She always offers specific examples of what she finds compelling in plot, theme, and characters. I very much enjoy working with her and I am looking forward to her review of my next book, The Death of Distant Stars "
Chand Svare Ghei, Author, Prasvapa: "I am extremely pleased with the book services which Lady Diane Donovan has provided me. Only the best quality service is good enough for her."
E.J. Chadwell, Author, How the Mighty Fall: "Diane Donovan is the consummate professional, who takes her job as a reviewer seriously. She expertly tells the reader what the story is about without revealing any spoilers or plot twists. Diane focused on her thoughts and feelings about how the story was told. Diane presented my story fairly, and she made the case why the book is good. She gave the reader good service by providing some basic information about the book, and offered the reader a sense of the style, tone, and essence of the book, without giving anything away."
Pamela Palmer, Publisher, Smart Heart Publishing (for Carmen Fox's Bound): "Diane Donovan's use of quotes in the review, plus her careful choice of words, give a balanced view, which is exactly what we hoped for from an editorial review. Both my author and I were thrilled with the review and with Ms Donovan's professionalism."
Kim Siegel, SPBRA: "It was a pleasure to work with Diane Donovan on her review of “The Devil Knows” by Janet Holt-Johnstone. She was extremely professional and gave a thorough and fair review of Janet’s book. Janet was thrilled to receive her review and is very eager to use it as a resource in getting the word out about “The Devil Knows.” This is a wonderful service and we are looking forward to using it again."
Susan DuBosque, Author, Good Morning Diego Garcia: "I wept tears of joy while reading youramazing review of my book. I can’t imagine changing a single word. It’s a beautiful, from the heart, review! Thank you so much for your time and energetic review!”
Kelly Pellatt, Author, Rise of the Good Wolf: "Diane Donovan is a gift to all those who seek a reviewer who not only reads ones work thoroughly but internalizes it, feels its essence then presents this experience back to you. I feel I have a review packed with integrity that piques the curiosity of the potential reader.”
Michael Pronko, Author, Motions and Moments: "Big thanks for this! It's perfect. I loved Diane's review and really appreciate the great work you do.
Judy Alter, Author, The Gilded Cage: "I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate Diane Donovan’s book reviews and how pleased I am to be working with her. Her reviews of my work so far have been favorable, which I assume is honest, and she is spot on in her interpretations, gives me lots of quotable lines. A great advantage in this day when indie and ebooks have a hard time getting notice.
M.L. Spencer, Author, Darkstorm: I am writing to let you know how pleased I am with Diane Donovan’s recent review of my novel, Darkstorm. Not only was Diane’s review very favorable, but it was also extremely elegant and delightfully quotable. Diane actually took the time to give Darkstorm a good, hard read. Unlike some reviewers, she noticed the depth that was there in the social and moral commentary beneath the plot and did not just pigeonhole the novel based upon genre stereotypes. Diane was also very personable and professional in all email correspondence. I am both thrilled and humbled by Diane’s review.
Jeremy Bates, Author, Island of the Dolls: Diane Donovan has reviewed several of my books, and she has been a terrific reviewer. She has a great ability to get a book down to a few paragraphs. The reviews sum up the books better than I can - all the while managing to touch on everything from theme to characterization etc wonderfully.
Rumer Haven, Author, What the Clocks Know: Diane Donovan recently reviewed my latest book, What the Clocks Know. I am over the moon with Diane's feedback and very proud to share it. Her insights are both intelligent and beautifully expressed, and she's been wonderful to correspond with as well. I'm so delighted that my novel was assigned to a reviewer with such an affinity for this genre, and I just want to thank you, Diane. I will certainly query again in future.
T.J.
Roberts, Author,
Fairalon: "I was really
lucky to get a review
from Diane Donovan.I'm new to this, and there are a million review
sites all
willing to take a fee, but not necessarily read the book. I don't mind
paying
for the job, it takes time to read a novel so it's completely fair.
Diane did a
great job. It didn't hurt that she liked the book, of course, but the
big thing
was that you could tell she read it and got it. Many thanks from a
newbie
author. I will recommend your service highly to anyone who asks."
Marjan Sierhuis, Author, Pardon Me While I Close the Door: "The process was a new experience for me, and I wasn't sure what to expect. But Diane informed me of the steps involved. And kept the lines of communication open at all times. I felt she "understood me", what I was trying to say, and why I wrote the book. I mentioned Diane on twitter, since I now have a few followers. And hope she doesn't mind. Thanks once again."
Jules Mitchell Bailey, Author, Champion Bubbler: "When Diane Donovan was referred to me, I had no idea what to expect. With this being my first published novel, I am new to the publishing industry and so was curious as to what her review would entail. Also since my novel, Champion Bubbler, is based in the Caribbean and is infused with its culture and language, I questioned whether she would even understand what it entails. I must say that I am truly astonished at how well she summarized my novel and even more amazed at some of the key points she pulled out. Working with Diane has been a great experience and I look forward to her reviewing many more of my novels!"
J.G. Maggio, Author, The (First) 4 Maxims of Social Conservatism: "I wanted to compliment the job that Diane Donovan did in reviewing a book I had written along with others, titled, "The (First) 4 Maxims of Social Conservatism." Ms. Donovan's review appeared in the February edition. In my opinion the review was very well written and organized. It was fair, and did an excellent job of capturing the essence of what we tried to communicate in the book. I have started to spread the word to others. Thanks."
Len Lamensdorf, Author, The Murdered Messiah series: "After decades of involvement with a project, I can't help wondering--will readers "get it?" Your splendid reviews demonstrate beautifully that you do. Not only that -- you are able to convey the meaning, the sense of awe I feel now more than ever that I have something(s) valuable to share with readers on a subject that everyone believes they know and on which it would be difficult if not impossible to find someone who doesn't think they totally understand this incredible person. Beyond sectarionism, beyond cult, beyond passion, there is a transcendent quality to the very existence of Jesus of Nazareth. I say that in every sense--past, present and future, for if there is anyone who remains vibrantly alive after thousands of years, and who still has a message that resonates through the corridors of life now and in the future, it is Jesus. You have helped me convey this reality, and for that I will be forever grateful." And, separately: "…thank you for recommending Diane Donovan as a potential reviewer for my Murdered Messiah series. She provided me with 5 absolutely brilliant, evocative and compelling reviews. Her insights were spot on and the words she used to express her thoughts were absolutely lovely. When writing a long, complex, and possibly controversial series such as this, one wonders if one's work will be understood, let alone appreciated. Ms. Donovan gets 5 stars on every subject, every issue. She has also been prompt, responsive and accurate in all of her communications. I could not possibly have asked for more."
Jennifer Morse, Author, Fairy Godmothers of the Four Directions: "What a wonderful review. Fairy Godmothers of the Four Directions is a compilation of a lifetime of study rolled into adventure and fun. Thank you for seeing in the book the layers of perception I hoped would emerge."
Rob Couteau, Author, More Collected Couteau: "Your review was amazing and, once again, I cannot thank you enough. The piece is so filled with keen insights and perceptions about the subject matter and provides such a warm, heartfelt introduction for readers. Even the quotes you chose provide essential keys for understanding the book. I’m just so deeply grateful! Publishers Weekly BookLife just reviewed it and, although it was a positive piece, it came nowhere near your depth of comprehension and passion, or your delightful prose style. I will include an excerpt with your name on the back cover of the next edition."
Jennifer Wherrett, Author, Lady of the Lake: "Diane Donovan reviewed "Lady of the Lake" (my book) for me, and she did an outstanding job. I was more than happy with it. In fact, I would recommend her to anyone wanting their book reviewed."
Anna Castle, Author, The Widow's Guild: "Thanks for the helpful service! I just wanted to let you know how helpful Diane Donovan has been in my efforts to build a reputation for my books. She’s always on schedule, which is aid to planning, and writes a long, considered review. Book reviewing has always been a useful service. It has become an essential one in the new glorious age of open publishing. Diane is a champion of books. Thanks for everything."
Sepember 2015 Issue
- C.
W. Schulz, author, A Book About a Film : “I
just wanted to give Diane Donovan a kudos for her review. I
was quite pleased with her honesty and feedback.”
- Margie Mack, Author, My Ship Has Sails: "My name is Margie Mack and I have had the extreme pleasure of working with Diane Donovan not once but twice and it has been a wonderful experience! Being a writer, or trying to be, any help that I can find is like wining the lottery or discovering a treasure. Self publishing a book is such uncharted waters that once you are finished you just sit back and wait for the applause to begin, but, that doesn't happen in the real world. So after finding Diane and the wonderful services that were offered I jumped on the opportunity to have her review my boo, "Through The Woods." At the same time I had Kaiser do a review and when I received that review it just about broke my heart. And what was worse was that I paid a lot of money to be insulted. But then came the review from Diane and it made it all go away. I decided to invest my money in the marketing program that Diane offered to me and another service for teaching me how to get the audience that I need in order to be a successful author! I am so happy that Diane and her programs are for me to use! I am spreading the word to everyone in my writing club as well as family and friends. Thank you for giving me the confidence to move forward in my quest to be a successful writer. “
-
Steven McCarthy, Author, Physical Literacy: : "Your review service is vital for publishers and authors and everyone needs to know. For me I was able to correct inconsistancies in the editing stage simply from your honest review...Thank you Diane Donovan again for your literary services"
-
Jeri Parker, Author of Unmoored: ”You don’t miss anything. Any author would be not just lucky but completely blessed to have you review her book. You have such a sensitivity and you found a wonderful way to present this: illustrating your point with a quote from the book. It was one of the profound moments of my life to read your review, to think someone was out there who didn’t miss anything.”
- Christopher
Paul Meyer, author of I Was a Champion Then:
“Just wanted to drop you a line to tell you how great Diane Donovan
was. She reviewed my book, I Was A Champion Then,
promptly and then delivered a well-worded review. Thanks for
providing the service with outstanding reviewers like her.
- Gene
Del Vicchio, author of BetterNot!
And the Tale of Bratsville - Teaching Morals and Manners:
"I am very pleased with Diane Donovan's review of my book, but
more importantly, with her helpful advice, amazing responsiveness,
and endless professionalism. She cares about writers and their
works, and it shows."
- Katy Pye, author of Elizabeth’s Landing: “Ms. Donovan’s kind review of Elizabeth’s Landing was the beginning of our association. I was delighted she understood the niche it attempts to fill. I went on to engage her “Posting Report” service. She was prompt, thorough, and available to graciously and clearly answer questions at every step. What she said she would do, she did on time, and went beyond. In the future, were I to need her other literary services, I wouldn’t hesitate to contact her.”
- Gene Del Vecchio, author of BetterNot! And the Tale of Bratsville - Teaching Morals and Manners: "Diane, thank you for your Book Review Report. It's extremely valuable. Though my marketing plan already included a considerable number of venues for reviews, your listings shed light on dozens more that I had no idea existed. The moment I reached out to your sources I received interest in review copies. I can't thank you enough."
- Charol
Messenger, author of Humanity 2.0 and The Svengali in
My Bed: “I
just want to let you know how very pleased I am with Diane Donovan's
reviews. She has done two for me. She has a full grasp of all the
nuances, start to finish, and shows a true sensitivity to the topics. I
will be using her again.”
August 2015 Issue
July 2015 Issue
June 2015 Issue
1. Cori Tadrus, author of Flawed Happiness: “I was very pleased with my book review from Diane Donovan. She responded very quickly to all my questions, and has been quite helpful throughout the review process. Overall, it was a great experience working with her.”
2. Dianna Skowera, Happy Wanderer Press, regarding Drea Damar’s The Weeping Books of Blinney Lane: “Ms. Donovan's review read like a poetic synopsis that draws the reader into the story in a unique and intriguing way that we had not yet captured in our own synopsis. She accomplished this without divulging any spoilers, while also highlighting specific assets of the story and the author's writing style which bolstered the review in its own right. We are pleased to have found and utilized your services and were happy with the turn-around time..”
3. Yonason Goldson, author of Proverbial Beauty: “Ms. Donovan provided a thorough, accurate, and fair description of the book, completed her review ahead of schedule, and was most accommodating in every way..”
May 2015 Issue
1. Michael H. Davison, author of America’s Suicide: “I thank Diane Donovan for her very favorable review of my book. She clearly grasped the central issue.”
2.Claire Nana, author of LEVERAGE: The Science if Turning Setbacks into Springboards: “I recently obtained a review for my book LEVERAGE: The Science if Turning Setbacks into Springboards, from Diane Donovan and just wanted to express how pleased I am with her work. I will definitely use her again for my future work.”
April
2015 Issue
1.
Bradette
Michel , author of For Their Own Good:
“I
want to express my appreciation for the review provided by Diane
Donovan of my
upcoming debut novel, For
Their Own Good.
I was delighted that her thoughtful review showed her understanding of
what I
was trying to do in the book. Diane has been very professional and
helpful as I
work my way through the somewhat bewildering publishing process. Her
thoughtful, timely responsiveness is greatly appreciated. I
would not
hesitate to recommend her.”
2.
Meghan
Reynolds, project manager at Mascot Books: “I
just wanted
to take a moment, reach
out, and let you know that working with Diane Donovan has been a
wonderful
experience. She is an excellent reviewer and has made the process
stress-free
for us at Mascot Books.”
3.
Terry
Bazes, author, Plot Fiction Like the Masters: “Diane
Donovan did a fine
job of
reviewing Plot
Fiction like the Masters and has been a pleasure to work
with.”
March 2015 Issue
1. Joe Roper, author of The Hunter Awakens: “My experience with Diane Donovan has been spectacular. She is prompt, communicates well, and has kept me fully informed along the way. It seems so rare to find a well respected review organization that treats small press authors so well. Thank you Ms. Donovan for a great experience.”2. Deborah Davitt, author of The Goddess Denied Diane Donovan provides swift, courteous service, always responding promptly, and with far more friendliness than I have received from other venues.
I appreciate the fact that the reviews are far more thorough than those provided by, say, Kirkus (I just got my Kirkus review on the first book of mine that Diane reviewed, and they spent half of their 500 words recapping my plot and quoting my work, rather than describing what they found effective about the book and what they enjoyed. :-/ ). I also appreciate that this review service is available for only a fraction of the price that Kirkus charges, and that there are no unexpected surcharges when the book proves to be "longer than average." Your turnaround time is also much better; three weeks, as opposed to three months.
Last, I'd like to note that Diane has a gift for prose herself, and sometimes verges on the poetic in her reviews. I loved one of her phrases about my recent offering: "Exotic spells . . . sorcerers and sisters, stolen lives and fragile forms, all interwoven. . . " makes my work sound so enticing, I almost want to go back and read it for a tenth time myself. “
3. Jack Roberts, author of Unsung Heroes: “I just wanted to take a moment to tell you what a pleasure it has been to have Diane review one of my non-fiction books for middle school readers.
She has been very professional and supportive (responding immediately to my emails), and her review was extremely thoughtful. (I got some terrific quotes that I can use in my marketing efforts.)
Diane currently has another one of my new non-fiction titles and I look forward to her review.”
4. Deborah
Hawkins, author of Ride Your
Heart 'Till It Breaks: “I
wanted to express my appreciation for the fine work of
Diane Donovan who recently reviewed my new novel, Ride Your Heart 'Til
It
Breaks, 2015 winner of the Beverly Hills Book Award for Women's
Fiction.
Ms.Donovan's reviews are thoughtful, insightful, and
well-written. She
gives a prospective reader not only an excellent summary of the plot
but also
the important themes of the book She does so much more than
merely
summarize plot as I have found the reviewers at Kirkus often do.
Ms.Donovan
provides a prospective reader with a concrete reason to read the book,
which is
a great marketing tool for an author.
Thank you for the opportunity to express my gratitude for Ms.Donovan's excellent skills as a reviewer, her communication with me, and her very professional adherence to her promised deadlines."
5. H.G. Wallace, Press Manager at Anu Esoteric Press: “Thank you for your time and your kindness. It is not easy being new in this field and trying to get exposure for a new author. We truly appreciate the time you took to request the book, read it, and give it such a wonderful review.
After dealing with some less than stellar individuals, it has been a treat to converse with you and have the opportunity to use your services. As a business run by women and seeking to promote authors and works that help bring understanding, equality, and peace, I am very glad the universe made a way for our businesses to connect.
All of us at Anu Esoteric Press certainly look forward to working with you in the future. "
6. Jean-Pierre Dorléac, Author of The Naked Truth: “I am so PLEASED with your review for The Naked Truth. You really captured the spirit I was trying to bring to the chronicle. I can't thank you enough. "
February 2015 Issue
1. Michelle B. Assor, author of Snaygill: Slippery Temptations: “I approached MBR in mid-December 2014 for a book review. I was referred to your Senior ebook reviewer, Diane Donovan. Diane immediately notified me of her reviewing services. She also included details of when the review would be ready and when she would plan to publish it in her newsletter. Her manner was extremely professional, yet warm and welcoming, not intimidating, especially for an inexperienced, debut indie writer like myself.
Diane emailed her review to me in mid-January 2015, the exact date she had specified. I was impressed with her punctuality.
As far as the review is concerned, I did not know what to expect. I had worked on my novel for seven years, through high's and low's in my life. I lost my husband last year. I recently overhauled the novel, editing it several times. My previous literary agent was unable to get it published. Yet I always believed in the book and I never gave up.
Diane's insight is quite incredible. I felt as if she had crept into my skin and had picked up on details that few reviewers would have perceived. Perhaps I can describe her as an octopus, with each tentacle reaching out to discover hidden treasures, nuances in the book, undetected by others. Her review was simply wonderful, genuine, and I believe the novel will succeed. I will have Diane Donovan to thank, hopefully one day, if it does succeed. She fulfilled my dream and made me realize that my hard work and perseverance had paid off. Following Diane's fine review, thereafter I received a great review from Kirkus.
Once my novel is available on Amazon, I will be contacting Diane again to move forward with the 'postits' on ten sites. I might even proceed with the marketing plans that MBR offers to authors.
I have the utmost respect for Diane Donovan. In a world where personal service does not exist, where people have no morality, honesty or loyalty, Diane stands out as a rare gem!!"
2. Warren Firschein, author of Out of Synch: “I thought I'd drop you a quick note to let you know how pleased I was with the recent review of my book, "Out of Synch," reviewed by Diane Donovan. The whole process went very smoothly, and Ms. Donovan was courteous, timely, and professional. Thanks so much for providing this service--I would definitely use it (and Ms. Donovan!) again in the future."
3. Barbara Ebel, author of Collateral Circulation: a Medical Mystery: “I'm just giving a shout-out for Diane Donovan's work. She recently reviewed my "Collateral Circulation: a Medical Mystery." Diane's review was thorough and insightful of this novel. It gives an author great pleasure when a reviewer 'gets' their book!"
4. Jeffrey B. Burton, author of The Lynchpin: “Diane has been extremely helpful every step of the way, and provided a very thoughtful review of the novel. I really appreciate all of her help.
5. Tanya Robertson, author of Tears of Innocence: “I am writing to let you now how pleased and grateful I am to Diane Donovan for:
1. Her thorough insightful review of my book 'Tears of Innocence'.
2. Posting the review to various sites via her Postits service.
3. Her professionalism.
4. Her availability i.e. readily dealing with any inquiry I may have had.
5. Her overall courtesy, help and understanding.
It has been a real pleasure to work with Mrs Donovan. I can only say I wish everyone worked to the same level of competence."
6. Tom Lucas, author of Pax Titanus: “I'd like to review a reviewer, if I may. Diane Donovan did a bang-up job with her review of my ribald space opera, Pax Titanus. Well-written, balanced, and fun. I have two books out thus far. I couldn't be more pleased. I need to hurry up and write another one for you."
7. Natalia Zelder, publisher, Cow Eye Press, for Cow Country: “I just wanted to confirm my appreciation for Ms. Donovan's review. She did a professional job and we appreciate the consideration. It is not easy for a new publishing house to get meaningful reviews for our independent authors, so we are grateful for this opportunity and especially for her professionalism and care."January 2015 Issue
1.Matthew Heines, author of My Year in Oman, et.al.: “Sharp, accurate and thorough- the only three words that describe Diane Donovan’s Reviews. Example: Ms. Donovan was the first person to see the complete American Experiences in Arabia During the War On Terror series after it was published. Immediately, she picked up on the fact that My Year in Oman has all of the background information on Arabia, the culture and the geography, so that it is not necessary to keep re-iterating that information in the other two books.
Ms. Donovan also pointed out that she enjoyed reading my books and that she couldn’t wait to start the next book once she finished one. In all of the years of gathering information and writing, I hoped and prayed that someone, somewhere would have that same reaction. I am so thankful that my books ended up with Diane Donovan. One caveat- If you don’t think your books are first rate, do not send them to Ms. Donovan! She is only going to tell you what she thinks of your book. If you have any doubt, try someone else.
2. Karen Burns, author of Rules for the Perpetual Diet: “Just a note to say how much I enjoyed working with Diane Donovan, who recently reviewed my newest book, Rules for the Perpetual Diet. Diane was a delight to do business with. She was prompt, responsive, cheerful, and thorough. She answered every question, and even anticipated questions.”
December 2014 Issue
1.Ron Ames, author of METAL HORSES: “I am an amatuer in the literary world, but I can tell you that with the 2 books that I have managed to publish, I have dealt with four different reviewers and you are by far the most efficient and professional. The review you composed for my book is the most in-depth I have ever received.”
2. Carolyn
Haley,
author of AURORA
AFFAIR: “My novel
was assigned to Diane
Donovan, and she gave me my money's worth -- and then some.
As a writer, editor, and reviewer, I've been involved in many
conversations
about the value and ethics of buying a book review. The topic is pretty
darn
hot among these communities, and I've received my share of vitriol for
supporting the position that reviewers are entitled to payment for
their time
and expertise if they want it, and that the majority have integrity and
courtesy, and give honest reviews.
This is an awkward position, since I review gratis for a major journal,
and for
a year reviewed for pay for with another major review publication.
Thus, I
thought long and hard before ponying up for a review of my own work.
Ultimately, the difficulty in obtaining reviews through the freebie
network
moved me to take my chances. I chose MBR because (1) I consider it one
of the top
review sources and wanted that quality applied to my book; (2) the
print
version of my title didn't get selected when I submitted it to MBR, so
I wanted
another chance when I released the e-version; and (3) the cost is
better than
competitive -- it's the lowest that I've found, by a significant
margin. Like
so many writers (and self-employed editors) I operate on a tight budget.
Diane justified my expectations by returning a thorough review that
came out
positive without sounding like a pay-for-praise deal. She kept her tone
neutral
and personality in the background, talking just about the book and its
notable
features. What surprised me was being offered a chance to see the draft
and
respond to it prior to release.
As for dollar value, Kirkus charges over $400 for a template-style review of 300-350 words; PW (last I looked, a few years ago) charges $125 for a blurb that might not get posted or published anywhere; and of the others I looked into, the lowest price was $70 for a Kirkus-type package. Yet through MBR I got over 800 freestyle words that not only highlighted the novel's qualities, but also showed that the reviewer had indeed read the book, looked at the supporting materials about it available online, and done her best to emphasize what makes it different from other novels.
I learned about your service from one of my indie-author clients, who was similarly satisfied with his experience. So I think you've got a winner here!
3. Irene
Woodbury, author of A DEAD END IN VEGAS: “Diane Donovan …did a wonderful job
with the review--and with the posting of it on multiple
sites. I was
impressed with how well written the review was, and how thorough,
pleasant, and
professional she was. As you know, book promotion is a hectic
process
these days, so I really appreciate the chance to work with someone like
Diane.”
4. Sean
DeLauder, author of THE LEAST ENVIED: “Diane has completed a timely and
articulate review of my book, The Least Envied. It’s clear to me that
she
read the entire story and put some thought into her reaction to it. I’d
like to believe this is due to the quality of my story, but this is the
second
time Diane has come through for me in this manner, so I’m willing to
believe that her reviewing ability also plays a large part.”
5. Martin
Hill, author of EDEN: “Diane
Donovan’s review of my
book Eden: A
Sci-Fi Novella was exceptional.”
November 2014 Issue
1. R.C. Binstock, Author of SWIFT RIVER: "
2. Antonio Simon Jr., Publisher, Darkwater Syndicate: "I'm writing to let you know what a fantastic experience it was working with Diane. She is indeed a distinguished professional - it shows in both the quality of her work and her exceptional client relations. Her review was thorough, balanced, in-depth, and delivered promptly."
3. Vivian Hwang, Author, CHASERS and DAYS OF AMBER: "Diane Donovan did the review on my 2 ebooks, Chasers, and Days of Amber, and they were lovely. This is a great service for independent authors such as myself, and I hope that you will continue promoting it. "
4. Leza Lowitz and Shogo Oketani, Authors, JET BLACK AND THE NINJA WIND: "We just wanted to take the time to thank Diane Donovan for her insightful and intelligent review of our Young Adult novel, Jet Black and the Ninja Wind. Of course, we were thrilled that she liked our effort, but beyond that, the best kind of review is one in which even the author learns something new about their own book. Ms. Donovan is that kind of a reader and writer, and we just wanted to take the time to let you know how grateful we are that she was able to review our book."
October
2014
Issue
2. M.J. Winn, author of DEAD SOUL MARY: "Thank you very much for the excellent review of my novel, Dead Soul Mary. I am very impressed by how well written and insightful the review is. You obviously put a lot of time and thought into reading and writing, and I am very grateful. And you realized the many things I was trying to do within my novel. I can't wait to use your wonderful review as part of my novel's future promotions!"
3. R.C. Durkee, author of RUM RUN: "Ms. Donovan is very professional while coming across as a warm, accessible reviewer. She informs you when she receives your book, and gives you a date that she will complete the review. She does not leave you "in the dark" like most reviewers. She is very prompt and in fact, I received the review earlier than the date she promised. I never had to wait long for an e-mail response as her e-mail responses were same day. Of all my reviewers, she has been the most prompt and efficient and accessible. It was a pleasure to do business with her, and I hope to do so again in the future."
4. Warren Albrecht, author of NEITHER CHILDREN NOR GODS: "You have grasped the essence of what I am trying to do with my novel. I could not be more pleased with your viewpoint. It is gratifying to have a professional carefully read and then actually like the story."
5. Melissa Mahle, author of UNCOVERED IN ISTANBUL: "I wanted to provide feedback on my interaction with Diane Donovan, who reviewed my children’s book, Uncovered in Istanbul. The publishing industry has become a rather unfriendly world, with publishers, editors, agents and reviewers under time pressure, tight budgets and have almost zero room to take risks. It is wearing to hear in so many conversations or see in email exchanges excuses as to why something didn’t get done or could not get done because of lack of time or lack of demand. My experience with Ms Donovan was exactly the opposite.
Ms. Donovan was positive in her communications, exact in doing what she said she would do when she said she would do it. Very professional and refreshing. The review she wrote was well written, but more importantly, interesting. I am so pleased MBR selected Ms. Donovan as the reviewer."
6. Rebekah, Publisher of THE BLOOD LINE: "Wanted to send you a quick note and let you know how pleased we are with Diane Donovan's review of our author's new novel Blood Line (John J. Davis). Diane's review is insightful, informative and her analysis of the underlying psychology of the book is spot on. She was actually the first reviewer to truly understand the character dynamics. Our author appreciated her opinion as did we."
8. Becca Hardy, author of Severxance Living Legacy Saga, Book 1: "I was very happy with the professionalism and attention to detail Diane Donovan gave my book. Not only did she provide an accurate review, but I really feel she has an excellent grasp of the science fiction genre as a whole."
9. Elena Maria Vidal, author of The Paradise Tree: "I just want to express my appreciation of Diane Donovan's review of my novel The Paradise Tree. She reviewed it in a timely fashion even though she was one of the last reviewers to receive a review copy. I am very impressed with the quality of her work."
September 2014 Issue
1. Betta Ferrendelli, author of REVENGE IS SWEET: "All I can say is wow! I think I told you this last time when you read and reviewed The Friday Edition, you are the first true reviewer who really gets it. That is exactly what Revenge is Sweet is about, there are many levels to the book and I think you touched on every one."
2. Joseph Hirsch, author of KENTUCKY BESTIARY: "I just wanted to thank you for the timely and professional manner in which my book was reviewed. I have passed on word of this good experience to my fellow authors at Paragraph Line Books, and I hope they will also avail themselves of your services."
3. Stanley A. Riggs, MD, author of BUILD WEALTH & SPEND IT: "Diane Donovan completed her thorough and informative review of my book Build Wealth & Spend It All in a timely fashion. It is clear she took the time to completely read the book (some reviewers do not). Readers will appreciate her and her in-depth analysis and intuitive review style."
4. Javier Perez, Page-Turner Publicity for JOSH'S WALL: "Just want to let you know what a pleasure it is to work w/ Diane Donovan. She recently reviewed one of my client’s books, JOSH’S WALL, by Cliff Ashpaugh. The author was thrilled with her review! I’ve worked with Diane before and look forward to sending her other titles written by my clients."
5. Joanne Sundell, author of ARCTIC STORM: "Please allow me to thank MBR and reviewer, Diane Donovan, for her "spot-on" review of my YA crossover, ARCTIC STORM, from Five Star, Gale/Cengage Learning. My editors were happy, too; so much so a copy of Diane's review went out to all in the company. Diane's insight into my story and her analytical expertise ... blew me away."
6. Diane Ketterman, author of A CHILD OF ROYALTY: "I am very satisfied and pleased with the work Diane Donovan did for me in reviewing my book, "A Child of Royalty". I sent out an email to some friends and her review clarified for them an outsider view of my story. The feedback was great! I will keep Diane in mind for future writings and friends who have submissions as well. She did a wonderful job!"
7. Scott Pinsker, author of THE SECOND COMING: A LOVE STORY: "I wanted to express my sincere appreciation for the professionalism & personal care of Ms. Diane Donovan, who recently reviewed my debut novel, The Second Coming: A Love Story. Since my June 6 release, I’ve been fortunate enough to receive 20 reviews on Amazon (4.9 overall stars), plus some very kind accolades from various bloggers & reviewers. Of all the folks who took the time to critique my novel, Ms. Donovan stands-out. She truly took the time to read, review & consider the consequences. As an author, you simply couldn’t ask for more than that."
8. Nanci Rathbun, author of CASH KILLS: "I'm dropping you this note to tell you about my positive experience with Diane Donovan and her review of my mystery novel, Cash Kills. Diane was extremely prompt in getting information to me for the review to proceed. She kept me informed along the way and was both easy and professional to work with. I really appreciated her sharing information about the review process for my future reference. I'll be using her review in publicity releases."
9. Martin Halliday, author of MYSTERY AND MISADVENTURE: "I have used the services of Diane Donovan three times now. The last two times for two books that are part of a series: Mystery and Misadventure; Mystery and Misadventure – An Old Acquaintance. Whilst I have yet to see the review for the latest book (not due until your October release) I can say that her views on the first accord with with everyone who has read it so far, save that she has demonstrated an ability to put into words what a number of them could not. She has managed, in her review, to capture the essence of the stories (they are anthologies ... think of Roald Dahl. J.G. Ballard and the Twilight Zone). As a reader I would feel that she had summed up the book perfectly. In passing, I would add that she has remained highly professional throughout the process. I am very impressed."
10. Joseph Hirsch, author of KENTUCKY BESTIARY: "I think your previous review helped me secure retail deals for my prior novel, Kentucky Bestiary."
1. Nikos Vlachos, author of THE BED: "I've had many reviewers of my book but yours really captures the essence of what I'm trying to do, i.e make, "a play" a more unique and intimate experience for the reader than they might have if the story were written as a novel. ..after reading your fine review several times, I realized that you were giving me the extreme complement of doing just that--creating a work, in a play format that is quick and easy to read, that flows through an entire lifetime almost effortlessly, and takes the reader to live theater, which is the most intimate of the performing arts followed by movies, TV and radio. Good reviews do that. They get better each time you read them."
2. Yolanda A. Reid, author of THE HONEYEATER: "Diane Donovan, was thorough and insightful, concise and so prompt! Moreover, the review distills the essence of THE HONEYEATER without over-revealing."
3. Clyde Hedges, author of The Boys of Chattanooga and Evergreen: "Diane Donovan recently did two reviews for me, "The Boys of Chattanooga," and "Evergreen." I really liked her reviews. I'm going to use both to great advantage in marketing my books. She gave thoughtful, incisive comments, wrote them well, and even pointed out a few things that I hadn't realized about the books. Diane did an excellent job for me."
4. Foley Western, author of THE GAME PLAN: "Diane Donovan is very thorough and on time and I am very pleased with her service."
5. Dustin D. Romney, author of RULE OF LAW: "I was very pleased with a book review I received from Diane Donovan. She very accurately and fairly captured the tone and thesis of my book and was very accommodating and helpful throughout the process. "
6. John A Brennan, author of DON'T DIE WITH REGRETS: "Ms. Diane Donovan recently reviewed my new book titled, "Don't Die With Regrets." She gave it a serious and very helpful assessment. Very professional, Ms. Donovan's review encompassed all that I desired to impart to the reader."
7. Michelle Kamhi, author of WHO SAYS THAT'S ART?: "Just a word to say how grateful I am to Diane Donovan for her appreciative review of Who Says That's Art?. I especially valued the opportunity to offer suggestions for clarifying certain points to ensure that the review accurately represented the book's thesis. Diane was graciously responsive to all my suggestions, and it was a pleasure to work with her."
8. Larry O'Brien, author of WHY NOT WOMEN PRIESTS?: ".Your review of Why NOT Women Priests? is remarkable--nothing short of a keen display of professional excellence. The review highlights the most significant messages I wanted to convey, and my appreciation of that skill is without limit."
9. Patrice Hamilton, author of MAKE ME: "I just wanted to send a quick note expressing my appreciation for the review of my ebook, Make Me, created by Diane Donovan. I was impressed by her insights and her writing style. She was also a pleasure to work with."
10. Alix Nichols, author of WHAT IF IT'S LOVE?: "I just wanted to let you know how happy I am with the Diane Donovan's review of my book "What If It's Love?". It's thoughtful, detailed and relevant. It gives sufficient information about the book, but avoids spoilers. Diane is a great reviewer."
11. Claire Pickering, For and on behalf of Richmond Pickering Ltd, publishers of MY GUIDE titles: "...we have been extremely happy with the serviceDiane Donovan has given us. Her reviews are professional and in-depth. She has an excellent eye for detail and we would highly recommend her services."
1. Max Timm, author of WISHKEEPER: "I received a very well written, nicely structured, and all around thoroughly positive review from Diane. My book's title is The WishKeeper (YA age range) and I'm delighted with not only how all received the book was by Diane, but how well written the review was as well. "
2. Christine Rivas, publicist for LAURA'S JOURNEY TO THE STARS: "...working with Diane has been an absolute pleasure! She was very responsive and has been easy to work with throughout the entire process of the book review. I look forward to working with her again!"
1. Valerie Clay, author of THE 7TH TAROT CARD: "In reviewing my book, The 7th Tarot Card, Diane Donovan was efficient, timely, and very professional. As a debut novelist, I was a little worried about the outcome, and didn’t know what to expect, but her friendly correspondence and wonderful review turned my fear of a difficult process into a pleasant experience. "
2. W. Stone, author of CONFESSIONS OF A SELF-HELP WRITER: "Thank you so much for your great review! I wanted to let you know its the lead review in our press kits! The writing was crisp and wonderful and great for potential readers. Drew Carey, johnny depp, and a few other famous people asked to see the book after reading it. I wish I would've had you write the jacket copy."
3. Philippa Rees, author of INVOLUTION: "This has not been an easy work for which to find reviews, simply because of is breadth; poetic science through the history of Western thought, which does not easily identify specialists across so many fields. Scientists do not read poetry and poets are rarely scientists! Her grasp of the book's essence and the speed with which she worked was extraordinary. I have referred many who know the book to her review, and they too have been impressed. She managed to make clear the difficulties the cross genre work would face, which I hope will register with those likely to be suspicious of it."
4. Leylah Attar, author of 53 LETTERS FOR MY LOVER: "I found Diane to be efficient, professional and courteous. She communicated with me every step of the way, and provided an accurate timeline so I knew exactly what to expect, and when. I received the links for my review on time, and was satisfied with her insightful and fair review. I felt she had taken the time to read my novel, and that she understood the major themes, characters and plot line."
5. Lorrie Farrelly, author of TERMS OF SURRENDER: "I appreciate the reviews Diane Donovan has done, and is continuing to do, of my novels. Her reviews are thorough, professional, well-written, and perceptive. She is a careful reader and an insightful writer. Many people have told me they respect her opinion, and that it was instrumental in their choosing to buy and read my books. I’m very pleased and honored to have my novels featured in Diane’s reviews."
6. William Andrews, author of DAUGHTERS OF THE DRAGON: "I'm very pleased with the review done on my book, DAUGHTERS OF THE DRAGON by Diane Donovan. I feel she was very objective and insightful and I"m thrilled she gave it a positive review. I've posted the review on my website, FB page and Twitter and I noticed sales have ratcheted up."
7. Dale Bridges, author of JUSTICE, INC.: "My name is Dale Bridges, and my book, Justice, Inc., was reviewed recently by Diane Donovan. I just wanted to say that I am very pleased with her review. I thought it was insightful and well-written."
8. Jay Klages, author of MEASURE OF DANGER: "I appreciated the care Diane put into the review of Measure of Danger. She discussed some aspects and subtleties of the novel I thought have gone unnoticed by regular thriller readers. While I wouldn't classify the novel as full-blown literary fiction, there are a lot of extras in there to discover, and she certainly had a very keen sense of those themes and details. I'm sure that all authors will respect and appreciate this thorough of a review, regardless of the review outcome."
9. Gloria Kury, Periscope Publishing Ltd. for THE RENAISSANCE: "Diane Donovan wrote an astute (and lively) review of our book, The Renaissance Revised Expanded Unexpurgated
for your June issue. We are impressed with her ability to assess a long, ambitious book and the way she conveys a zest for reading."
10. Rainer Kohrs, Marketing Director, Stonehorse Publishing for TOBY: "Working with Diane Donovan has been a great experience for us. Her review is well-written and succinct, with a few good short quotes we've already made use of at BEA. She is a keeper!"
11. Leigh Goodison, author of WILD ONES: "I just wanted to let you know how pleased I was with the review I received from Diane Donovan for my YA novel, Wild Ones. It was immediately apparent that Ms. Donovan had not only read the book very carefully, she also understood the characters, plot and theme. So many 'reviewers' just rehash the text on the cover copy and call it a review. Having a review from the Midwest Book Review provided me with a valuable marketing tool, and is a great service to the writing community. I would not hesitate to use and recommend the MBR, as well as Ms. Donovan's, services in the future."
1. John Lindberg, author of THE BALL CROSSING: "I worked with Diane Donovan and she was very responsive and met all expectations with regard to schedule and effort to thoroughly read my book. Her review was thoughtful and well written."
2. Nelly Cotto, author of HER TURNING POINT: HER DIVINE, GLORIOUS, HAPPY DIVORCE!: "I've had the most wonderful experience and feel motivated to keep going with the professional review process. She was able to fully capture the essence of my story, and then retell it with a wholesome perspective. I loved it!!! Obviously she's very experienced."
3. Thomas Morison, author of THE UNORTHODOX OX: "the recent review by Diane Donovan of the book The Unorthodox Ox by Thomas Morison was an especially fine review. Certainly it is a tricky business to pull in elements from a long tale and relate in a few words what the possible point of the story is after--then reflect on what the story of the book is driving at. So Ms. Donovan's review absolutely got to the nub of what this book is about. Her review made a case for why the book, why its story as related, would be of interest to its specific target audience. "
4. Roger Carrier, author of FINDING SARGADO: "I wanted you to know how pleased I am with Diane Donovan's work on my novel. Her writing of the review of "Finding Sagrado" was artful and her
insights very helpful to those looking for more than a three-line review. If I were coming at the novel cold, I would definitely be intrigued and want to at least try the first few chapters."
5. Kelly Ward, author of THE NOTE HUNTER: CASE OF THE HAUNTED SWAMP: " .We were assigned Diane Donovan as our reviewer, and we couldn’t have had a happier experience. Diane has been very instructive and helpful to us on this, our initial foray into the world of self-publishing. It didn't hurt that she gave us a wonderful, quotable review that will help us make forthcoming books in our series sharper and more entertaining. ..We are over the moon!
6. Samuel Finlay, author of BREAKFAST WITH THE DIRT CULT: "Ms. Donovan... not only read and reviewed my book far sooner than I had expected, but offered an opinion that clearly considered the words and what I was trying to convey with them. All the while, she remained in contact and promptly responded to anything I sent. "
1. Luis Gonzalez, author of LUZ: "I am so pleased with the review I received from your reviewer, Diane Donovan. Ms. Donovan did such a great job of capturing the main ideas and themes of my book, and I was especially delighted that she quoted twice from my work. There is no better feeling for a writer than to know his words have had an impact of some sort on a reader, but what is also nice is the surprise to the writer of which words those are, and her use of quotes from my text really validated my writing and gave me a great boost of confidence about it. I have received several reviews thus far, even from Kirkus, and hers is far superior to the Kirkus review, which in my opinion was cursory and formulaic, given that they know it's just an indie work, and completely rushed just to fit in within the framework of their word count. "
2. Mike Stewart, author of THE TERMINALS #1: SPARK: "I'm so glad Diane enjoyed the book and I was very pleased by the depth of her review. It not only provides some great quotes to excerpt from a marketing perspective, but also gives readers the ammunition to decide if it's a book for them. Well balanced!"
3. Kenneth G. Eade, author of AN INVOLUNTARY SPY: " I am dropping this note to express to you how extremely pleased I am at the speed, the depth of understanding, and the skill with which Ms. Diane Donovan conducted the review of my first novel, "An Involuntary Spy." I will highly recommend her and Midwest Book Review to my fellow authors."
4. Ken Kirkeby, author of RED STICK ONE: "I just wanted to let you know how pleased I am with Diane Donovan's review of my new novel Red Stick One. Of all the reviews I received I can say that Diane was the most professional and paid the most attention to detail in putting it together. She was an absolute pleasure to work with and picked out the essential thrust of the novel better than anyone."
5. Anna Castle, author of MURDER BY MISRULE: "I especially want to commend my reviewer, Diane Donovan. Unlike many in this business, she was always courteous and helpful, keeping me informed with the status of my review. This is important for self-published authors and small press editors alike, since we wear many hats and have many balls in the air (while riding unicycles, of course.) Naturally, I'm gratified that she liked my book. It means a lot."
6. Grace Mattioli, author of DISCOVERY OF AN EAGLE: "I was very pleased with Diane Donovan's service in reviewing my novel, Discovery of an Eagle. Her review was extremely thoughtful and well-written and she was very prompt and thorough in her communications with me. In fact, I will be mentioning her in the Acknowledgement section of my book."
7. Ed Gomez, author of GATEWAY TO INTIMACY: "Diane Donovan has recently completed the review of my book, Gateway to Intimacy and I have to say that she not only did a great job with the review by communicating her observations well, but I can see that she actually read it!!
By the detail she introduces, I can see she actually read and not skimmed over it, which seems to be the case from the way some of the reviews I've received, have read. The other thing I've noticed is that she took the time to find out what I was trying to say and did not simply assume or react to what she read. She took a deeper look at it to find out what it had to say. I'm very impressed with the care and detail she brings to her work.
1. Lorrie Farrelly, author of TIMELAPSE: "I want to let you know how pleased I was with the care and professionalism shown by Diane Donovan in her review of my novel TIMELAPSE ...Diane’s insight, high-quality writing skills, and timely responses are very much appreciated, and I was proud to share her comments with readers."
2. Barbara Ebel, author of SILENT FEAR: "My latest book was a medical mystery, Silent Fear, and it was reviewed by Diane Donovan as an Ebook. She gave a thorough review, it was fair and balanced, and more importantly, she understood the meat of the story and my main character. As you may know, reviewers sometimes just don't 'get it' - perhaps they 'skim' the book. But Diane was insightful and did the review in a timely fashion."
3. Michael McCann, author of THE FREGOLI DECISION: "I'm very pleased with Diane Donovan's recent review of my novel The Fregoli Delusion. It's obvious from her review that she read the book with care and attention to detail, which is always appreciated by every novelist. Her descriptions of plot, theme and character are accurate, and I'm grateful for her kind appraisal of the book. I'd welcome her reviews of future publications of mine without hesitation."
4. M. Dolon Hickman, author of 13:24: "My novel deals with child abuse and the complex religious, psychological, political, and personal impacts that it had on individuals and society. Ms. Donovan really surprised me with her ability to pull out many of these threads and highlight them for potential readers. I redid my back cover text to include a snip from her review at the very top, and am using the same snip on the top of all of my internet marketing and retail descriptions."
5. Andrew H. Armacost, author of THE POOR MAN'S GUIDE TO SUICIDE: "
Ms. Donovan was both honest and thorough in her review. Not only was it clear that she gave the text a close reading, it was equally clear that she 'got it,' and she provided insight, not merely a summary or some kitschy blurb. As for follow-on actions, she provided an advanced copy of the DRAFT review along with a brief period during which I was free to ask questions or raise concerns, though I had neither. Additionally, she communicated when the review would be available, how to access it and, when she left the area for a vacation, I was given an advanced notice followed by a link to the review upon her return. At any rate, in any service industry, and especially one whereby so many emotions (and ok, egos) are involved...I wanted to share with you what a positive experience I had."
1. Chris and J. Bean Palmer, author of ELSBETH AND THE CALL OF THE CASTLE GHOSTIES: "Diane was prompt, accurate, reliable and a pleasure in all our communications. Far more important, she recognized and called to the fore what was most important to us and what we most wanted others to know about our book."
2. Harrison Lebowitz, Esq., co-author of CONNECTED TO GOODNESS: "Diane recently reviewed Connected To Goodness, a book I co-authored with David Meltzer. I just needed to tell you what a fantastic job Diane did. She was a true professional to deal with - prompt, informative, responsive, and insightful. All I can say is what a great experience."
3. Jeff Hennelly, author of THE POWER: "just wanted to drop you a line to let you know what an excellent job Diane Donovan did in reviewing my book. Diane was prompt, professional, and fantastic to work with. I’ve had several people review my book, but Diane’s review was hands down the best. I could tell that she was engaged in reading of the book, based on the breadth and depth of her review. She really took her time and put forth a quality effort!I’d recommend Diane to anyone and hope to work with her again soon."
4. Lewis Lambert, author of JUSTICE SERVED: "I want to let you know that I am enjoying working with Diane. She is fast, thorough and is a pleasure to work with. I will recommend her to anyone who wants a professional book review. If my books are successful, I will give all the credit to her."
5. R.C. O'Leary, author of HALLWAYS IN THE NIGHT: " just wanted to drop you a quick note extolling the professionalism and responsiveness of Diane Donovan. She was extremely thorough in her review and her responsiveness was excellent. I had a couple of questions in the process and she answered them quickly and clearly."
6. Linda Yoshida, author of BURIED THREADS: "I just wanted to send you a quick note of appreciation for Diane Donovan's excellent review of Buried Threads. There's nothing better or more rewarding for an author than finding out a reviewer "gets" your story and thoroughly enjoys it. "
7. Kim Cano, author of ON THE INSIDE: "I just wanted to say I'm very pleased with both book reviews I've received from Diane Donovan. Sure it's nice to get customer reviews, but they often aren't as thorough as Ms. Donovan's. Using portions of her reviews on both my book's editorial areas has landed me some decent ads with leading companies like Book Bub, and that has led to increased sales."
8. Ken Derby, author of HARLEY P. DAVIDSUN'S LOONY BIN: "I just wanted to let you know that it was a pleasure having Diane Donovan review my book entitled Harley P. Davidsun's Loony Bin. She was prompt and professional, and thorough with her review."
9. Max & William Shoaff, Publisher, Ascent Releasing Entertainment for The Yellow Wallpaper: "We wanted to thank you for Diane Donovan. Her professionalism, speed, and diligence was excellent, as well as her work. She was a great reviewer and we would highly recommend her, as well as Midwest, because of her. She is a reviewer worth keeping."
10. Aric Cushing, Editor The Yellow Wallpaper: "I wanted to thank you for reviewing my book. Your review was so incredibly well written and thought out. The points you made were so succinct and wonderful, I just couldn't believe it. Bringing new ideas to old contexts (I feel) is one of the hardest things to do when so many readers have a 'certain' idea about what a writer/individual is all about (even when they usually have only read one or two pieces by the author). I don't know what else to say except that I am so happy... all that work! Researching and travelling to discover those lost pieces was such a labor of love. By no means was it for the money, that is for sure. It was something I felt I had to do to honor Gilman. I really wanted to shed light on the other aspects of her work.
When a reviewer 'gets' what you are trying to do, and not just 'gets it', the way you have, but REALLY UNDERSTANDS, it is an author's greatest triumph (and editor). Reading your article was one of those moments that I will remember for the rest of my life. And NOT just because it was a good review. "
1. Gary Lawrence Sheerin, author of DIJI: "I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how happy I am with the review I received from Diane Donovan. Her analysis of the book, on such a deep level; digging past the simple conclusions of a quick read, was extremely gratifying for me. I cannot thank you enough for your choice for her to critique 'digi'. Whether from her life experiences or readings, her understanding and rational of the plot makes her more then the typical thumbs up or down reviewer. Very rewarding to see her thoughts on my work - perfect!"
2. Mara Quigley, from Steve Allen Media Re: WHOLE HEALTH: "I wanted to thank you for connecting me with book reviewer Diane Donovan. She did a fabulous job reviewing Whole Health by Mark Mincolla- very prompt and professional."
3. Geraldine Evans, author of DEATH DUES: "I just wanted to write to express my delight in the review written by Ms Donovan. It was fair and balanced and I'm so pleased she enjoyed reading Death Dues...With so many trolls actively writing so-called 'reviews', it's good to have dealings with professionals."
4. Darby Karchut, author of GIDEON'S SPEAR: "I wanted to let you know what a thoroughly professional and well-crafted review Diane Donovan wrote for my latest middle grade book, Gideon’s Spear. Diane captured the essence of the book’s theme, while pointing out elements that would resonate with readers. I am eager to share her review with the fans of the series (as well as my editor and publisher). And you should know that Diane’s enthusiasm for books was very refreshing to this author who has been in the industry long enough to see “reviewer fatigue.” "
December 2013 Issue
1. Waima Williams, author of HELLO, MOZART: "Both Diane and Midwest Book Review cover an impressive range of books, and have a high quality of criticism. This is a pleasure to discover now that so many newspapers and professional reviewers have declined or disappeared. It’s also a relief to know that a group of dedicated reader/reviewers is still active, and able to judge fiction according to traditional standards,
meaning much more than the current “customer comments” style found on amazon. Diane and your staff are the real thing. All the best to Midwest Book Review and its efforts to support writing."
2. Michael McCord, author of THE EXECUTION CHANNEL, A POLITICAL FABLE:"
Wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the review of my e-book in Midwest Book Review. It was a joy working with Diane Donovan and I appreciated her thoughtful review -- more importantly, I appreciated how she 'got' the book (it's a very wicked political satire) and communicated that in the review. Her blurb went to the top of review comments on the home page for the book."
3. Eva Pohler, author of THE GATEKEEPER'S SONS: "I just want you to know how pleased I am with the review written by Diane Donovan of my novel, The Gatekeeper's Sons: Gatekeeper's Saga, Book One. Diane's review is well written, and it pinpoints key insights into my story with flare. I teach writing and literary analysis at a local university and am always thrilled to see it done well (especially after reading so many student papers). "
4. Liz Lewinson, author of RAMA GAZE IN MY DIRECTION: "thought Diane not only enjoyed but became engaged with the subject matter. Many book reviewers only read the opening pages and the closing pages and the result shows. I'm sure Diane read the book cover to cover. I really appreciate the quality of her work."
5. Johanna Harris, author of USE PROTECTION: AN EMPLOYEE'S GUIDE TO ADVANCEMENT IN THE WORKPLACE: "Diane was extremely prompt in her response. She made me aware of the time table at each step and sent me relevant drafts and links to the review. She was also helpful in making suggestions for using the review. She was supportive and encouraging. The review itself was thorough, accurate and helpful, and I immediately posted it in the places Diane suggested. I am writing to you to let you know that I will recommend Diane to other authors who are trying to publicize their books."
6. Claudette Marco, author of SATCHEL & SWORD I: THE SEARCH FOR THE SALUKA STONE: "My name is Claudette Marco and I wrote Satchel & Sword I: The Search for the Saluka Stone. When my editor suggested Midwest Book Reviews to write a review for my book, I must admit, I was hesitant. You must understand why. I had been through years of rejections through the query process until one literary agent expressed interest. He read my manuscript and had nothing positive to say about it, criticizing it to the point of absurdity. That experience led me to self-publishing. I cut ties with that agent, but the effects yet lingered deep inside of me. But, I proceeded with gaining an MBR review, because I knew it was a reputable reviewing company. I felt... worried, to say the least. I arrived home one night and found Diane's review finished. As I read it I began crying. It was so detailed, so eloquent, and so positive. It gave me the confidence to know that people might actually like my book! I posted her review on my website and a link to the MBR page where it is posted as well. Sometimes words go beyond the air in which they are spoken or the paper onto which they are written. Thank you so much for your help and your time, Mr. Cox!"
7. Erin Emerson, author of WHAT WOULD OPRAH DO?: "I just wanted to send you a quick note to let you know how please I was with Diane's review. Her turn-around time was impressive and the review made it clear that she fully understood the tone of the book and all of its nuances. I really appreciated Diane's work."
8. Michael J. McCann, author of THE RAINY DAY KILLER: "I'm sending you this quick note to let you know how pleased my publicist, Lynn Clark, and I am with the recent review by your reviewer, Diane Donovan, of my novel The Rainy Day Killer. We found the entire process extremely easy to coordinate, we found Diane easy to work with and very helpful, and I was extremely pleased with her review of my book. It was obvious she'd not only read the book carefully, which many reviewers obviously do not, but had also researched the rest of the series and was familiar with my work overall."