COMMENTS
AND ACCOLADES FROM
WRITERS AND PUBLISHERS
More Accolades for 2025
Ryan McDermott, Author, Downriver: "Diane Donovan wrote one of the most thoughtful and affirming critiques I’ve received. She recognized not only the unique blend of military and financial experiences, but also the deeper introspective arc of the book. I’m grateful for voices like Diane’s that still take the time to read carefully and reflect deeply. That’s not the case with every reviewer. ”
David Ronin, Author, Our Lady of Retribution: "This is about Diane Donovan. I've been reading NYT (and others') book reviews for decades. All too often, the reviewer grinds his or her own axe. (And Michiko Kakutani, if I remember right, always turned her reviews into discussions of her personal life.)
I'd read one book that came out well before the NYT review. The review treated the book as a "baseball memoir." But the book was about the writer's dealings with his family and friends as he struggled to make his dream come true of being a Major League player. It was as though the reviewer had not even read the same book as I. I felt so sorry for the author, because I'm sure the bad review killed the book.
I've been trying to understand what makes Ms. Donovan special. Part of it is that she distinguishes between grinding an axe and presenting a thoughtful summary of key points the author made while not being overbearing about it. She's basically neutral, yet gives major attention to what was important to the writer---a meaningful balance for the reader's benefit.
Our Lady of Retribution raises several controversial points. Several times, I could not tell where Diane stood on the issue in question. That's good. At first, I was disappointed she'd not given those points a glowing endorsement. Then I realized she was largely leaving it to the reader to make of it what he or she will. And isn't that the biggest part of what a reviewer should do?
She's down-to-earth, level-headed (whatever cliché you prefer). That takes a lot of self-restraint. I really respect and admire her "cool."
I was amazed at how much she covered. So succinct. What a gift she has.”
Rebecca LaChance, PhD, Co-author, Widows Among Us: "I am writing to commend Diane Donovan for her review of our book, Widows Among Us: Stories and Insights. My co-authors and I were so pleased to read Diane's review. Her review was very astute and noted important information that other reviewers did not. She was very clear in her communications with me about what we could expect and how our book would fit into her workload. She absolutely met the timeline she shared. My co-authors and I are very happy with Diane's review and personal interactions.”
Michael Zajaczkowski, Author, The Color of Dreams: "Diane was extremely responsive and communicated with me step by step. That's a relief when working with just about anyone these days! She told me exactly what her process was, what to expect--and when--and she followed through exactly as she described. It was a pleasure to have this type of communication. Since I wasn't ready to release the book, and didn't have all the details yet, Diane gave me an expanded window which I followed up on just a week ago. Once again, she was super responsive and has incorporated my updated details and we are on target to have her review released when my book releases in May. Overall, working with Diane was a wonderful experience.”
Sean Sayers, Author, Hoplight Ridge: "I’ve received several reviews for my novel Hoplite Ridge, but none have captured its depth the way Diane did. In just a few words, she conveyed what took me six years to craft—perfectly reflecting the heart and purpose of the book.”
Jeff Weitzel, Author, Creation’s Journey: "I went and read a number of her reviews of other books. I saw a vast array of differing genres and probably even opposing viewpoints. Her reviews all seemed objective and positive, judging the books on their own merits rather than her personal views. I did not see any reviews covering religious topics, however, and know that religion can be a touchy subject for many, so I was still a little apprehensive how the review would turn out. After receiving the review a few days ago, I am pleased to say that she was able to maintain complete objectivity in my review and was actually one of the only reviewers who have read my book that actually took the time to understand the point of my writing. I give this reviewer five stars!”
Orest Stelmach, Author, Incrdible, Legendary, Obvious: "Diane Donovan did a wonderful job. Her review was remarkably thorough and left no doubt that she'd read the book carefully, an act that simply cannot be taken for granted. Her review was thoughtful, balanced and kind. I'd also like to note that Diane suggested she'd be back to me with a draft of her work around March 10 when I submitted it to her on January 17. Today, she beat her own ambitious deadline. It seems uncommon for anyone to be true to his word today. I'm so grateful.”
Morgan Hatch, Author, Gone to Ground: " There is never any greater compliment than having someone read your work with an open mind then share their impressions. Not only was Diane Donovan's review thorough (no small feat given the number of threads) but it was well written and insightful. Having just started doing reviews myself, I know how hard literary criticism is (not that my books is literary), and Diane has lent credibility to her opinions with a well crafted review that melds a pithy rundown of plot and character with reflective analysis. GONE TO GROUND is thriller/suspense with a sprawling plot that Diane deserves an award for covering accurately. (BTW Kirkus blew it and had me gagging.)
I particularly was fond of her use of quotes. Her choices aligned well with what I would consider some of my favorite sections, a new thrill for me I haven't previously experienced. My work was respected by a writer whose writing I respect.”
Susan Fleet, Author, Unsolved: ”Perfect, Diane. You do such great reviews. I especially loved!!! how you portrayed Lily and her relationship with her father and others, which is so important. [another reviewer didn't even mention her ]. Bravo and big thanks!! ”
Susan Fleet, Author, Unsolved: ”Perfect, Diane. You do such great reviews. I especially loved!!! how you portrayed Lily and her relationship with her father and others, which is so important. [another reviewer didn't even mention her ]. Bravo and big thanks!! ”
Mark
Matthews, Author, To
Those Willing to Drown: "I
am writing with a quick note about Diane's review of my novel To
Those Willing to Drown.
Just want to applaud the work she does. Not only due to the positive nature, but the depth she gives, and the insight, and the angles she takes to support her views. It's clear she reads deeply and thinks critically, and takes the time and effort to write up her reviews. (Not all review outlets can say the same - I once had a Kirkus Review that cited plot points that did not even take place in the book)
From reading other reviews from Diane, not just of my novels, but of other works, it's clear she's a gem.”
Dorothy Love, Author, A Season in Saigon: "I’m grateful for your careful reading of the manuscript. I sent it to several other reviewers who work with independent authors and one of the reviews, while entirely positive, seemed stilted, as if it might have had help from AI…I can tell from your review that you actually read the story and thought about the themes I tried to convey, and that is so important to writers in establishing credibility even after 20 previously-published books.
In a time when AI is infiltrating every aspect of publishing, it is clear to me that Diane actually read the novel, thought about what I was trying to convey, and delivered a review that succinctly captures the essence of the story.”
Mary Lane Potter, Author, The Body Leads the Way: " Diane communicated the review process clearly and thoroughly, from her first contact with me to her email of a draft of her review, which put my mind at ease. I felt confident in her professional yet personable hands all through the process.
Diane also did an outstanding job reviewing my book of creative nonfiction, which is not necessarily an easy read given its scholarly content and variety of creative structures. She understood this unusual book perfectly--it's pieces, the whole, its tone or mood, and its structural movement or arc. I highly respect her work as a reviewer. ”
Reiner Prochaska, Author, Bergthora's Saga: A Heathen Revenge in a Christian Iceland: "I am obviously pleased that Diane liked my book and discussed what she perceived to be its strengths. But it goes far beyond that. I am deeply grateful for how carefully Diane read my book and dug as deeply as anyone could to understand characters, plot developments, themes, and historical/social/cultural aspects. After five years of writing this book, I am not sure I could have conveyed some of these critical ideas as elegantly as Diane does.”
Keith Burton, Author, Shadows of Sobriety: " I'm writing to express my deep appreciation for Diane Donovan’s thoughtful and insightful review of my memoir, Shadows of Sobriety: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Healing a Family Legacy. Her ability to capture the essence of my story and present its themes with clarity and depth has been truly remarkable. I would also like to share that Martha Bullen of Bullen Publishing Services, who has worked closely with me over the past year to help bring my memoir to life, holds the deepest regard for Diane.
Adrian Rosenbusch, Publisher, The Hollywood Unicorn by Christine Burch: "Diane gave the most insightful and detailed editorial review we’ve received to date. It was absolutely deserving of special mention. Thank you so much! ”
Don Hurzeler, Author, The Geezer's Guide to Adventure: "I can tell from Diane's writing that she is an excellent writer...much more professional in her approach than mine. I appreciate that ability. However, what I like best about her reviews is SHE GETS IT. She understood exactly what I was attempting to do with my new book and succinctly and interestingly summarized the content. I just love it. I can not just use the review to sell books, I can use it to help consumers make informed decisions. ”
Charles P. Collins, Author, The Remembering: Of Leather and Stone: "I just wanted to take this opportunity to let you know how much I appreciated the work that went into Diane Donovan’s review of my book, The Remembering: Of Leather & Stone. In particular, the structural analysis of the work and the highlighting of key thematic messages that might otherwise be overlooked by prospective readers, make her review a thoughtful guide for readers to understand what they might experience, and what to look for on multiple levels.”
Paul Drugan, Author, Forgiving Dr Jekyll: "I recently had my book "Forgiving Dr Jekyll" reviewed by Diane Donovan and was impressed by her professionalism and insight into the main theme of my message. First, the process was seamless for a neophyte author. I am in the process of publishing my first time and your option of a paid review from such a revered institution as the MBR lends a credibility to my work that is unmatched in the industry. It will help me immensely.
I have other reviews and they are good, but Diane obviously did a thorough read and pondered "what it all meant" before writing hers. It shows in her succinct report. She nailed it.”
George St. Georges, Author, Ai: Opening: "It is a great pleasure to let you know what wonderful work Diane Donovan did on my review. I'm not saying this because it is positive, but because I sent her a very difficult novel, multi-layered, with some extremely troubling themes, and that touches all three rails---religion, politics, and child abuse. And she nailed it. What I did pay for was for someone to give an unbiased opinion, and what Diane chose to bring out accurately and beautifully captured one of my main intentions in writing this book, namely, to get people to talk with one another about the issues it brings up. Another goal I had was to write something worthy of replacing The Scarlet Letter. Her recommendation for "group discussions in classroom settings" is more than germane. Even though Thomas Umstattd cautions that reviews reveal more about the reviewer than the book, Diane transcended that, and I am more than pleased with her very fine work.”
C. Behrens, Author, Alexander Hamilton’s Wish for Battlefield Glory: "Diane Donovan does an amazing job with her reviews. As I got closer to releasing my second book, I thought of Diane first. I thought of her ahead of Kirkus and others. She was the first one to review this new book. Diane reviewed my first book many years ago, and I was very impressed with her attention to detail and for pointing out so many unique aspects of the story. Her reviews are head and shoulders above the rest, and I am very thankful for her latest review on my new book. Also, the timing was crucial as I am sending out a press release and was hoping to include a blurb. I was able to include some of her comments and am thrilled about how they were incorporated into the press release. What really impressed me with this second review were the lines from the story that she chose to quote. The lines she chose were the ones I revised the most and agonized over for a very long time. To see those lines included gave me chills! What are the odds?! She also praised the illustrator, leaving nothing untouched. It's a special talent to be able to condense so much information into just a few short paragraphs and to do it in such a timely fashion. I can't thank her enough for in depth reviews and kind praise!”
Lory Jones, Author, It Happened One Morning: "Diane did a great job reviewing my book, "It Happened One Morning...", a romcom fantasy. Diane did more than just highlight certain events; she really dug deep into the powerful undercurrent of my novel's story and characters, something none of my other reviewers have done so far. This shows a thoughtful approach and refreshing curiosity about the main character, his personality and his challenges.”
Jeff Markowitz, Author, The Other: "Starting with her first communication and continuing to this day, Diane has done an excellent job of explaining exactly how the review process would work and what I could expect. She more than lived up to those expectations.”
Mariko Tatsumoto, Author, Blossoms on a Poisoned Sea: "I had the pleasure of working with Diane Donovan for a review of my latest historical fiction BLOSSOMS ON A POISONED SEA. When I first contacted her she responded within a day with clear instructions on how to make payment, how to send an ebook and the necessary format, and the expected timeline. Her review arrived right on time, certainly earlier than expected. Most reviews take exorbitant amount of time and communication with reviewers are usually cryptic, at best. But Diane’s responses were always professional, explanatory, and enthusiastic. So refreshing! My publisher was also very pleased with her promptness and comments.”
Liz Hartley, Author, Trust Not the Heart: "Diane responded quickly, with clear and precise instructions about how to submit my work and what I could expect. She answered my questions just as quickly, and the review was returned to me on time, despite this being a busy time of year. When she returned the review, she also included a very clear explanation of how the review could be used and how it was to be referenced. Diane’s review was thorough and managed to capture the kernel of the conflicts in the book in a concise manner, something I’m not sure I could have done. She also chose a quote from the book that showed the female protagonist’s internal conflict clearly, also something that can be tricky to do. In all, I found Diane’s work professional, careful, and complete.”
Joan Donaldson, Author, Ae Fond Kiss: "Diane Donovan wrote a stellar review for my new novel, Ae Fond Kiss, and noticed elements in the plot that no one else had considered. She is a gem to work with!”
Steve Hardiman and Pat
Black-Gould, Authors, All the Broken Angels: "We've had a
few professional reviews, and I've noticed a pattern. All have been positive,
but the more critical of them always get a few things wrong that are
"tells" they did not thoroughly read the book. My takeaway is that
the details of the story add depth rather than just higher resolution and finer
grain. For example, some were distracted by the frequency of the back-and-forth
timeline, but the deep readers never complain about that. Of course, that
was a difficult editing decision, but we are encouraged by our "deep"
readers; they don't seem bothered by it. Instead, the jumps create implicit
cliffhangers without the need for manufacturing them by ending chapters too
early and without resolution. I share that observation because it is clear that
you did indeed read the book thoroughly enough to get the subtext in dialog and
nuances in narration. Pat and I deeply (pun intended) appreciate your
dedication to the responsibility of writing professional reviews that readers
rely on to choose how to spend their precious reading time there never seems to
be enough of. Thank you again, not simply for (of course) your kind words, but
for honoring your profession.”
Fred Gracely,
Author, Moon Spirit: "Diane sent me her review of my latest
novel, Moon Spirit. She did a wonderful job with the review. I love how she
digs in a little deeper to provide insights into the themes and messages within
the books she reviews. That is of great value to readers and industry professionals
(teachers, librarians, etc.). Moon Spirit
is a complex book, and she delighted me by seeing some of the layers that run
below the surface.”
Dave Tabler, Author,
Delaware from Freeways to E-Ways: "Diane’s review
of my book Delaware from Freeways to E-Ways" was thorough and insightful,
demonstrating a deep engagement with the material. I particularly appreciated
how she captured the book's core strength in connecting individual stories to
larger historical trends, noting how the book "roots them in the
personalities, experiences, and spirit of individuals and communities”
Jerry
Masinton, Author, Dead Sure: "Not
long ago
Diane Donovan reviewed my novel Dead Sure. A few years ago
she also
reviewed Wrong Man Down, my first novel. I want to say that
Diane’s work
is always excellent. She writes with verve, and she always
knows the
right elements in a novel to emphasize for potential readers.
I want to
add that she is always prompt and a pleasure to work with.”
Nancy
Stancill, Author, Deadly Secrets: "I
just wanted
to let you know what a great job Diane did on the review of my new
book,
"Deadly Secrets." It was by far the most literate review I
received and she was lovely to work with on it.
She
is absolutely excellent. I wish that all the reviewers I
work with took the time to understand the book and write about it with
authority.”
Casey
Walsh, Author, The Full Catastrophe: All I Ever Wanted,
Everything I Feared: "I
wanted to take a moment to let you
know of the stellar experience I had with reviewer Diane Donovan.
In
strong contrast to a poorly written review I just received
from a reputable (and pricey!) outlet, Diane’s review of my forthcoming
memoir,
The Full Catastrophe: All I Ever Wanted, Everything I Feared, was
insightful and so well done. In fact, she saw things in my story and
represented it in a way that was somewhat different from the typical
interpretation, which I deeply value. She obviously gave it a close
read and
wrote a review that clearly reflected the thought she put into it.
Not
only that, she was timely, responsive, and professional in
all interactions.”
Janice
Smith, Author, Look 'N Up Invasion: "I
just
received my draft review of my novel, Look
'N Up Invasion. I was referred to her by many happy authors
on the Author's
Guild Forum. Many of them were fortunate enough to have their books
reviewed by
Diane, and they were all very pleased, as am I. She must be busy, but
she gave
my book a thorough, thoughtful and insightful read. She picked up my
underlying
themes and eloquently brought them to the fore. The way she
offers an
opportunity for us to review her review in advance and correct any
misinformation is quite extraordinary. I also love the appeal to
libraries at
the end. Receiving this valuable review means a lot to me as a debut
author.
Thank you, Diane, and the Author's Guild for this opportunity.”
Linda
Kent, Author, Love Heals All Wounds: "I
recently had
my book, Love Heals All Wounds, reviewed by
Diane Donavan. I
was very pleased with her review. She added the depth of what
the book
was about for readers to explore in their own life. I
appreciated her
sensitivity to the context of the material and stories I shared that
she
brought to life in her review for potential readers. There
are very
profound messages and stories in my book that only those who are ready
will
receive.
I
am in the process of writing my next book and I
look forward to having Diane do an additional review.”
Pat
Black-Gould, PhD, Author, All the Broken Angels: "My
co-author
and I are honored to have received a wonderful review. We can't thank
Diane
Donovan enough for her thoughtful and detailed review of All
the Broken Angels. She perfectly captured the themes, era,
and
characters and even highlighted parts of the dialogue.
We've
worked with other reviewers and read reviews of other
books. Sadly, not all reviewers are this thorough or have the ability
(or
interest) to capture a book's essence and formulate a solid review. So,
when we
received Diane's review, we were genuinely grateful. Not only that,
Diane added
a note to librarians about the book-- right when we're approaching
libraries.
To me, that's going the extra mile.”
Karl
Weber, Publisher, Rivertowns Books: "Diane
has
reviewed a number of our books over the past few years, and her work
has been
timely, accurate, and clear. I’m always happy when you ask that we send
our
books to Diane for review, because I know we will get a quality review
from
her.”
Elise
Keitz Harlow, Author, When Bone Melts: "I
am reaching
out to share how pleased I am with the book review I received from
Diane
Donovan. She reviewed my novel When Bone Melts and turned around a
thoughtful
and comprehensive review ahead of schedule. I can tell that she deeply
engaged
with the characters and the intent and themes of the novel, rather than
quickly
churning out a summary. I am very grateful to her for her care.”
Tess
Raynes, Author, Gone Mia: Deadly Deception: "I
wanted to
reach out to express my sincere appreciation for the outstanding work
Diane
Donovan did on her recent review of my book, Gone
Mia: Deadly Deception. Diane’s thoughtful insights and
engaging commentary were not only helpful but conveyed an understanding
of the
nuances in my work that I am grateful to have recognized.
Diane’s
professionalism and prompt communication made the entire
process seamless. Her review exceeded my expectations and I am sure it
will
prove valuable in generating interest among readers. I am truly pleased
with
the experience and would highly recommend Diane's services to other
authors and
publishers.”
Beth
Dotson Brown, Author, Rooted in Sunrise: "I
want to let
you know that I appreciate the opportunity for Diane Donovan to review
my book.
She sent me the review this week and it captures important parts of the
book
that I hoped readers would discover. She's also easy and professional
to
communicate with.
The
Author's Guild message board has been lighting up with
praise for her work.”
Ed
Morykwas, Author, Aurora and the Whispering Jewels: "I
received Diane's excellent review today -- sooner than predicted -- and
very professional. I'm pleased that she clearly spent time
reading the text and studying the illustrations. To put it in
a brief sentence: she GOT it. She didn't just do a
cookie-cutter job; she treated my work with care and respect.”
Copernicus Paul, Author, Bunker Mentality: "I write you from London at the moment with feedback about Diane, the reviewer of my work. I couldn't be more pleased at her professionalism, timeliness, and candid assessment. It was my intention to convey multiple threads woven for the story. She grasped all of them and reported back with clarity and strong understanding of what I was attempting. She is quite good, if not exceptional, in a world where far too few operate at such a superb level.”
Janet Zinn, LSCW, Author, In the Time of Coronavirus: "Last night I received an email from Diane Donovan with a review attached for my recent book, In the Time of Coronavirus. I was happy to read the review. Her kind words and clear reading of the book were professional and thorough. She did not sugarcoat her review. Nor was it so outlandishly positive to seem as if it came from my mother. I assure you, Diane is not my mother. What I appreciated about the review was it’s balanced commentary about the book. WhileI’m very pleased it’s a positive review, I am grateful that this review is balanced.”
Robert Boog, Author, The Trial of William Shakespeare: "These days, there are plenty of people who will use AI to review books but Diane did not. I could tell by her comments that she took her time and wrote a thoughtful review that showed she read the book from cover to cover.”
Loretta
Goldberg, Author, Beyond the Bukubuk Tree: "I
want you to
know how happy I am with her review. She did a deep dive, placing my
work in
relation to the abundance of WWII fiction, and made it clear that I
explore
mature themes in explored in the novel but endorsing it to libraries
for the
way both the military action and interpersonal relations are handled.”
R.
Christian Bohlen, Author, Miracle at Angels Bend: "It’s
so
important to me as a Christian writer that the reviewer has a sense for
the
spiritual value of a book. I invested 12 years into this book and I
feel that
she gave it a careful review and articulated many of the design
elements that I
prayerfully placed in my book.”
Art
James, Author, Untertauchen: "From
the
outset, Diane Donovan was professional, courteous and
knowledgeable. She
proved her abilities in the choice of words, style and manner of
rendering the
review. Her unwavering attention to detail is
excellent. And she
has a gift for ferreting out the core of the story that makes her
review stand
tall.”
Andy
Romanoff, Author, Stories I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You: "Diane
Donovan
writes a terrific review! Yeah, you might think it's easy for me to say
that
because Diane wrote a complimentary review of Stories I've
Been Meaning to
Tell You but it's not just that. It's because she found a
couple of perfect
pull quotes, proof she had done more than skim the book, and her
commentary
further made it clear she had really r e a d the
book.
I
also love the way she gave her readers multiple reasons they
might want to check out the book. Diane describes what readers will
find in an
attractive fashion. I like that a lot.”
Jo
McCarty, Author, Call
Me Adam: "Just
wanted to share my thanks and appreciation for Diane
Donovan's review of my book CALL ME ADAM. She did a lovely job, and as
I told
her, I feel like she described the book better than I did in my many
pitch
letters to agents and publishers. If she had written my query letter,
maybe I
wouldn't have self-published!
Diane
tapped into some things that I haven't seen noticed or
mentioned in other reviews as well. I really appreciate the time and
effort she
took to write this review and help other readers to decide if it's the
right
book for them.”
Vera
Bell, Author, Into
the Lure of Time and Through the
Veneer of Time: "…what
a wonderful job
Diane has done on both my books. Her writing is top-quality, engaging,
and gets
to the heart of the story. It is clear she took the time with each
novel, even
finding the perfect dialogue excerpts to augment her reviews.”
Stephen
Evans, Author, Funny Thing Is: "Diane
clearly
was able to absorb what I consider a wide-ranging and sometimes complex
text, understand it, and express her own thoughts with
clarity and
precision. I am most appreciative.”
Xiuwu
R. Liu, Author, Wandering from China to America and Deflating Human Beings: "Yesterday,
Diane’s two reviews arrived in my Inbox one day ahead of schedule. The
two
books are very different but both of her reviews show the keenest
intellect at
work, plus catholic tastes, an eye for the telling detail and graceful
turns of
phrase. Her answers to my questions and suggestions were immediate and
to my
complete satisfaction.
With
her 50,000 reviews, surely a Guinness world record, she's a
national treasure.”
Terrence
Poppa, Author, Gray
Wrath, Cauldron of Wrath and Finding Ricky: "Diane did
reviews of two other thrillers of mine, Cauldron of Wrath
and Finding Ricky. One review was very
positive, the other more
restrained, but both showed her insightful grasp of the most important
elements
of the stories. I suggested a couple of very minor edits and she
replied very
promptly, like with half an hour. Given the phenomenal amount of
reviews she
does every month and her other literary activities, I was flattered to
hear
back so quickly from her.
S.M.
Stevens, Author, Beautiful and Terrible Things: "In
a day and
age in which "reviews" are often merely re-hashes of the plot, it is
refreshing to have a reviewer put the effort in to actually
review the
quality of the writing and the story. Diane even cited a few excerpts
to make
her points, and offered insightful analysis of the book's messages and
themes.
Further, Diane was a complete professional to work with: timely and
organized.”
James
Aylott, Author, Tales
of Whisky Tango from Misery Towers: " Diane
Donovan did a
great job reviewing my novel Tales of
Whiskey Tango from Misery Towers. My writing tends to push
the envelope
past the point of a papercut in terms of rawness. Thankfully she looked
at my
novel from an unbiased literary perspective and provided a useful
review for
marketing purposes "
Robert
Dees, Author, The Power of Peasants: Economics and
Politics of Farming in Medieval Germany and The Malthus Fraud A Brief
History
of England: 4000 BCE – Yesterday: " Diane
Donovan did a great job reviewing my 3 books. I
was worried that the 1,794-page, 2-volume work on medieval German ag
might be
overwhelming, as it was for previous reviewers. I don’t think the
person at
Kirkus Reviews really even read it; that review gives the impression of
someone
dipping into the text here and there to pull out a quote or two to give
the
impression that they’d read it, but showed no understanding of what the
book
was even about. Diane, however, clearly plowed (pun intended) through
the whole
thing, grasped what the message was, and effectively explained its
importance
for readers."
Daniel
Caulfield, Author, The
Next Minute, Everything Will Change: "Diane
was such
a great, easy person to work with and I am very pleased with her
insightful
review. I have been reaching out everywhere for reviews and my
experience with
Diane has been, by far, the most seamless and the best."
Barbara
Robinson, Author, A
Cure for Spring Fever: "I
have sent this
book to several on-line review services, and while some of them
contained some
elements of Diane Donovan's review, none of them captured all of the
things she
included. She understood the humor, the quirky characters, and the
whimsical
voice of the story. I also appreciated that she included a short
excerpt to
illustrate her comments, as this is something that none of the other
reviewers
did.
Although
every positive review is appreciated, the quality and
thoroughness of this review really stood out. In my other life, as
public
service executive, I used to oversee a lot of staffing processes. I
often found
that, although candidates' references wanted to give a positive review
of their
job performance, many of them did not know how to do so. Their
responses were
not detailed enough, amounting to vague and unspecific praise. Every
once in
while, though, you would come across someone who really knew how to
give a
reference. They had a mastery of vocabulary, providing precise and
specific
praise, and their detailed insights added meaningful value.
TQ
Sims, Author, Godspeed,
Lovers: "Working
with Diane Donovan was effortless. While reading
the review, I appreciated so much that she clearly read the entire
book,
conveyed the themes, and clearly stated what types of readers would
enjoy my
work."
Lindy
Margaret
Porter, Author, A Change of Location: "I'm
always
especially glad when Diane Donovan is my assigned reviewer, which she
has been
multiple times. Her reviews are thorough, well-considered, and
articulate. Her
analysis includes themes as well as plots and character description and
arcs,
rather than merely reporting on the action of the story. She is a great
asset."
Brad
O’Hagan, Author, Passage to Moorea: "I'm
writing to
let you know how pleased I am with the review Diane Donovan did for my
novel Passage
to Moorea. It's clear that she read the book (and you might
be
surprised to know how many reviewers do not!), and the
insights and
comments she made clearly reflected the time she spent
with the
work. It is a real pleasure to know that my work is in the
hands of a true
professional."
Michelle
Paris, Author, Eat Dessert First: "Eat Dessert First is the second novel
Diane has reviewed for me. In particular, I can tell that she read the
story
and she picks out interesting and compelling points to highlight. The
reviews
are prompt and accurate. I have not had the need to follow up nor make
any
corrections."
Vincent
Czyz, Author, Sun Eye Moon Eye: "Diane
Donovan
took on a big, difficult book--573 pages with certain avant-garde
aspects--and
did a good job with it. This is the third time she's reviewed my work,
and
she's proven to be a close reader who understands what I, as a writer,
am
trying to accomplish."
Barry
Frangipane, Author, Paris for Life: "Diane
Donovan
recently reviewed my book, Paris for Life. I am
quite pleased with her
ability to convey the sense of the book to the reader. Yes, certainly,
I am
happy that my book received a positive review from her. But I've
received
positive reviews from others that are so full of typos and overrun
sentences
that they are useless to me. I have positive reviews where the reviewer
didn't
even appear to understand the subject matter. Diane took the
time to
thoroughly read my book and to pick out passages which are truly
helpful to
potential readers, helping them to decide if this book is for them."
Laura
Bartnick for Auralee Arkinsly, Managing Partner, Capture
Books, Gugu Giraffe Goes Fishing: "We
have asked
Diane Donovan for several reviews and have been extremely pleased with
her
process and resulting reviews. We greatly appreciate her phraseology
and her
use of key words, quotes, and recommendations!"
Nita
Sweeney, Author, A
Daily Dose of Now: "Our
interaction was nothing short of
splendid. She was prompt, professional, thorough, and kind. I wanted to
let you
know how much I appreciate the time, care, and attention she gave to my
work.
In this hurried world, it’s lovely to encounter someone so willing to
go above
and beyond."
Sofia
Diana Gabel, Author, Neanderball: "I
just
received my review for my novel, Neanderball, from Diane Donovan and
wanted to
express my appreciation for her excellent review. She is eloquent in
her
writing and knows how to hit the highlights of the story to intrigue
the
reader, and dig deeper into the meaning behind the story. Her writing
style is
impressive, professional, and easy to read. She's a pleasure to work
with and I
will recommend her to other writers I know."
Rimi
Chakraborty, Author, Beyond Resilience
to Rootsilience: "I
had the absolute pleasure of working
with Diane, our literary editor, and I couldn't be more thrilled with
the
experience! From the outset, Diane provided crystal-clear instructions
for the
project, outlining exactly what she needed and setting a realistic
timeline.
Her organization and attention to detail made the entire process smooth
and
stress-free."
Mary
Jumbelic, Author, Here, Where Death Delights: " I
wanted to commend Diane on the time and effort she put
into reviewing my work, Here, Where Death Delights, a
Literary Memoir.
From her descriptions and quotes, it is clear she spent a lot of energy
getting
absorbed in the writing. "
Samar
Reine, Author, First Sons and Last Daughters
: "I
am writing
to share my exceptional experience with Diane, who recently reviewed my
book. I
must say, her insights and understanding of the core themes of my work
were not
just impressive but deeply impactful. Diane has an
extraordinary
ability to grasp the heart of a
narrative. Her review was not only insightful but demonstrated a
profound
understanding of the key messages and nuances within my book. It's rare
to find
someone who can so accurately interpret and articulate the essence of a
story,
and she did so brilliantly. Her delivery was both literary and
encouraging. The way she wove
her thoughts and feedback was not just professional but also inspiring,
showcasing her remarkable talent in editorial work. It was evident that
her
approach was meticulously thoughtful, aiming to both enlighten and
uplift. I am deeply grateful for the experience of working
with Diane
and felt it was important to acknowledge her exceptional
contribution."
J.J.
Alo, Author, The Street Between the Pines: "I
just had the
pleasure of working with Diane for a book review and it was one of the
best
editorial reviews I’ve received and I’ve gotten them from Kirkus,
Chanticleer,
Readers’ Choice Book Awards, and The Book Commentary, which were all
glowing reviews. Diane really hit the nail on the head with
the depth and
underlying themes/tones if what the book is really
about. "
Emily
Jon Tobias, Author, MONARCH: "I
would like
to tell you how pleased I am with my very first book review received by
Diane
Donovan for my debut collection MONARCH. Her work
was thoughtful and
timely. She picked up on the construct of transformation and change
that
threads all these stories into the fabric of the collection they are.
My work
is gritty and deals with tough social justice issues, so to
have a
reviewer see the light in the work is a real
pleasure. "
Eric
Wade, Author, America vs. Americans: "I
just wanted
to share with you how pleased I am with the thoughtful review Ms.
Donovan
produced for my book, America vs. Americans: How Capitalism
Has Failed a
Capitalist Nation and What We Can Do About It. I didn't know
what to expect
when I submitted the book, as it hadn't been reviewed anywhere else at
that
time and the book takes a "purple" direction in a very red vs blue
American climate. Ms. Donovan didn't merely "get" the book,
she
was also able to convey back exactly what we had hoped a reader would
get out
of it. In other words, she deeply understood both the author and the
audience. "
Jean
Burgess, Author, Summer She Found Her Voice:
A
Retro Novel: "I
wanted to reach out to tell you how happy I am with the
entire experience
in working with Diane
Donovan in securing my review for That Summer She Found Her Voice: A
Retro
Novel. Beyond the highly skilled review, Diane was and continues to be
extremely professional, well-organized, and an excellent communicator
in terms of her
interaction with me, the novice
author. Simply a dream to work with. In terms of the actual review, I
couldn't
have been more pleased. I could tell that she took the time to dig into
the
themes of my book and make connections behind 1970s and today
and...well, what
I'd trying to say is that she didn't phone it in. Her professionalism
and
authenticity shone brightly. "
Clarence Poisson/
CE Rivers, Author, Northwest
Poems: "My
encounter with Diane was excellent. I sent Diane my manuscript
and she acknowledged receiving the copy. Diane reviewed my book fairly
and
provided me with a balanced and tasteful review, better than I
expected, and
justified her positive review with supporting book text, and in the
stated time
period. Diane had questions about publications date, URL for platform,
ISBN and
pricing. She was most accommodating because I had a floating publishing
date,
book pricing and ISBNs for eBook, soft cover, hard cover and URL for
Amazon
platform. Diane said don't worry, I can easily delay review publication
to a
future date. I did delay until I got firm publication information from
Penguin
Book Writers. When I had questions, Diane was prompt to respond to my
satisfaction every time. I am pleased Diane reviewed my book."
More Accolades for 2023
Elisabeth
Hagblade, Author, Trauterose: "Ms.
Diane Donovan of Donovan’s
Literary Services offers the kind of services an author hopes to
receive. In her introductory email, Ms. Donovan outlined
precisely the
steps to follow in submitting an author’s materials, along with
timelines and
accessibility of printed reviews. After having submitted my
packet, Ms.
Donovan. immediately confirmed receipt, while also responding
to my
questions. Her review of my book, “Trauterose: Growing Up in
Postwar
Munich,” was very detailed and thoughtful, having analyzed my
descriptions
accurately. Again, Ms. Donovan provided exact information
about
forthcoming review publication dates and listings, while also giving
links to
an author’s website and order details. In short, Ms. Donovan
followed
through as originally promised. Moreover, she offered the possibility
of making
necessary corrections; e.g., typographical ones. She encouraged me to
quote
from her review immediately. I highly recommend Ms. Donovan as a
reviewer on
account of her accuracy, her reliability, her thoroughness, and her
fairness.
"
Alan
Bern, Author, In the Pace of the Path: "I want
you to know how
much I appreciate Diane Donovan's empathic abilities to move
inside of my
book and find and discover the several different styles I implement and
vantage
points from which I work in my hybrid work: "His utilization of these
literary forms to juxtapose such experiences and observations creates a
satisfying interplay between the "pathways that lead to home" and the
places that occupy center stage at select moments in the narrator's
life." She
understands and responded in her review
to the many layers
of my book's hybridity. And she responds as well to
the deepest layer
of my book: "Bern writes with an evocative hand that also embraces
philosophical reflection…" Thank you so much to Diane! "
S.
Yerucham, Author, True Stories of the
Philosophical Theater: "Diane
Donovan
sent me her review of my book, True Stories of the
Philosophical Theater.
Very satisfied with this review; she emphasized aspects of the book
which will,
I hope, attract readers who will truly appreciate it. Her choice of a
quote was
apt: it displays two important premises I wish every potential reader
to
see...so they can either embrace the book, or decide it is not their
cup of
tea. Diane has been a pleasure to work with, everything's been
straightforward,
efficient, and on time."
Bruce
Whitacre, Author, The Elk in the Glade: "Diane
shared her review with me
over the weekend and I was very pleased that she "got it", and how
she conveyed this enthusiasm to the reader. As a collection of
narrative poems
about the past in a specific place, Nebraska, ELK is a bit tricky to
describe.
Diane grasped my intentions very clearly and highlighted universal
elements that
will help the book find the readers who will respond to it. Good
critics like
Diane are so important and so rare, especially in literary
poetry."
Linda
LeBlanc, Author, A Fair Knight Slain: Murder
at the Renaissance Fair: "A
few moments
ago, I received a review of my book A Fair Knight Slain:
Murder at the
Renaissance Fair by Diane Donovan. She
did a remarkable and
extremely insightful analysis. Other reviewers concentrated on the
obvious fair
setting and colorful rennies. She references them, of course, but
delved much
deeper into the two main characters, detectives Sara and Ryker. They
are
completely disparate characters forced to form an alliance. In doing
so, she
elevated my book beyond a standard mystery to a more meaningful
experience for
readers. I applaud her. I had used the word gypsy in the book and
discovered it
has negative connotation. I changed all GYPSY references to ROMA. I
asked Diane
to change the word in the review and the price of the paperback. She
got back
to me immateriality with both changes. She's an absolute pleasure to
work with.
"
David
Vass, Author, Liar, Alleged: "I
know my book is not for
everyone, adult situations, coarse language, a brutal honesty and black
humor. Diane Donovan’s review was, in my opinion, spot
on. It was
realistically honest and overall positive and gave me a cornucopia of
quotes to
pull from and exceedingly helpful feedback around the narrative and how
the
book reads. my mash-up of a memoir (narrative) and a tell-all
(celebrities) will not be to everyone’s taste. It is gritty
and shocking
and an odd melding of two different types of books. Diane
obviously
understood what I was trying to do – using the celebs to reinforce my
narrative. She is a very attuned woman. "
Ryan
Stevens, Author, Jackson Haines: The Skating
King: "Diane
Donovan
was an absolute pleasure to work with. I received a draft of my review
today
and I was incredibly moved by her generosity and kind words - but also
the
wonderful treatment she gave my book. It's a nonfiction on a somewhat
niche
topic and I think Diane's review will make the world of difference when
it
comes to pitching the book to libraries. "
Hari
Hyde, Author, Unbathed
Brains, Our Brain, Our Other, Our Heart: "While
I’ve received dozens of
book reviews in the past, Diane’s efforts far surpass the usual
commentary one
expects in a review. Diane really comprehends the sea of words while
most
reviewers see only a few ripples. She possesses a unique talent to
articulate
the essence of the written words, seeing deeply below the surface. It’s
obvious
Diane spends an enormous amount of time on these reviews and has a
passion for
conveyance of the author’s vision. "
George
Wolfe, Author, Into the
River of Angels: "Diane’s
review
was one of the most thoughtful reviews I’ve received so far.
I really
appreciate her integrity, too, with getting the details and grammar
correct
(that’s certainly not always the case, from what I’ve seen with other
reviewers
and services). "
Mark
Coffey, Marketing & Publicity, IFWG
Publishing International for Ferren and the Angel:
"Diane
Donovan,
gets a big tick of approval from IFWG Publishing. Of course, I wouldn’t
be
writing if her review of FERREN AND THE ANGEL had been negative - I
might have
been impressed by her quality as a reviewer, but I wouldn’t be writing
to tell
you! So, yes, the review was positive, but you’ll be more interested to
hear
that it was also judicious and perceptive. I’ve read thousands of
reviews in my
position at IFWG, and I was impressed! "
Kelly
Stone Gamble, Author, Ragtown:
"Ms.
Donovan
was quick to respond when she was assigned my book, and very detailed
in what
she needed from me. It was a rush review, which I know must be
difficult to
honor, especially with a 500pg novel such as this. The review
itself is
more than I could have hoped for. Those first editorial reviews are so
important to an author, and I was so pleased with the thoroughness and
thoughtfulness of her review. She obviously spent a lot of time with my
book
and took great care in writing the review. "
Thomas
Westerfield, Author, Goes On, Without the
World's Understanding: "I
just want to let you know how
professional, accessible, and easy I found it to work with Diane
Donovan
regarding her review of my book Goes On, Without the World's
Understanding. Ms.
Donovan provided me with a copy of her review a full two weeks before
her
deadline submission so I could confirm accuracy of details and to offer
any
potential corrections I might have in her descriptions of the
stories.
There were only two elements I thought could be rewritten (i.e., that
the
stories are more gay male-centric rather than LGBTQ+ and a sentence
that could
be more simply stated). She was quite open to these points and
immediately
returned a slightly revised copy of her review for me to
read. She
maintained the integrity of her point of view while also being willing
to
consider editorial suggestions. I so appreciate such qualities,
especially in a
reviewer. "
Justin
Lee, Author, The Deadly Deal:
"I
wanted to
take a moment this evening to share just how much I have
enjoyed working with Ms. Diane Donovan as she
reviewed my third book,
The Deadly Deal. I found her feedback
both encouraging and honest,
her formal write up spot on, and in general very responsive,
professional and
helpful to me. She really made the whole experience positive, and that
was
worthy of sharing. "
Linda
Maxie, Author, Library Lin's Biographies,
Autobiographies, and
Memoirs: "After
receiving my review from Diane Donovan of my
book Library Lin's Biographies, Autobiographies, and Memoirs,
I was
quite impressed with her professionalism and the thoroughness with
which she
covered my book. I've gotten other reviews of my book that
missed part of what
I was trying to accomplish. Diane took the time to read the
Introduction and
understood my mission perfectly. She was also easy to communicate
with. "
Mark
Lavine, Author, ForeverChild:
"I
was very pleased with the recent review of the subject book provided by
Diane
Donovan. Other reviews have been more complimentary, so, although the
overall
tone was positive, this is not the source of my satisfaction with this
review.
Actually, the fact that she did not waste time and words with gushing
praise which
didn’t add meaningful information, causes me to value and respect her
review
that much more. The review is perceptive and well-written, hitting on
the key
take-aways in an efficient and straightforward manner. Furthermore, the
communication and delivery of the service was exactly what I expect
from a
professional business provider. "
C.V.
Vobh, Author, The
Yawning Gap: "Diane
Donovan did an excellent job in reviewing my
book, The Yawning Gap. The
quality of the review is a cut above what I've encountered elsewhere,
completely setting aside its favorability."
Brian
Kaufman, Author, A
Persistent Echo: "I
wanted to pass on how pleased I am
with Ms. Donovan's reviews. She consistently goes beyond the
summary/blurb
format, digging into thematic issues. Her work is excellent, and I
wanted to
say so."
E.J.
Dawson, Author, Echo
of the Evercry: "I
was left speechless by the very
frank and flattering review that Diane left, how detailed and
thoughtful she
was in her assessment, but also reaching into the heart of certain
perspectives
of the book other readers have not, though they were
intended. In
short I'm going to frame it and put it on the wall right next to my
Kirkus
reviews."
Marcus
Herzberg, Author, Jock
Sniff America: "Diane
Donovan just reviewed my latest satirical
novel, Jock Sniff America, and I wanted to let you know how pleased I
am with
her work. She analyzed my book in terms of character, plot,
and theme,
comparing it to other well-known works to enhance the understanding of
those
reading the review. Diane also suggested which types of
readers would find
my book most interesting and entertaining. Finally, Diane
completed the
review in a very timely manner, in line with the timetable that she
gave me
when I initially contacted her. I have shared Diane's review
with my
publisher who is similarly pleased with its quality."
Steven
Barron, Author, Madame
Curie's Piano Tuner: "Of
the reviews received to date, yours
is easily the most insightful. You picked up on details others failed
to
mention, e.g., the fun, sometimes confounding section subtitles, and
that the
story is not intended as a mere comic send-up. Thanks, too,
for including
a quote from An Honorable Profession; the
narrator's voice
rings thru and should alert a potential reader to check any
preconceived
notions at the door. As you mentioned 800, page novels are
daunting, yet
you artfully justified the reading as more than
worthwhile. Truly, Diane,
it feels like you absorbed the book’s essence and stated it far better
than I
ever could."
Kim
Conrey, Author, Nicholas
Eternal: "Diane
Donovan recently did a review for my book, Nicholas
Eternal. I wanted to write a note to let you know
how pleased I was
with her professionalism. Not only did she get my review in when she
said she
would (a couple days before actually), she also gave detailed,
easy-to-understand instructions about the entire process from start to
finish.
She thought of everything, every question that might be asked and
provided the
answer ahead of time. In a world where emails get ignored and
frustration
abounds, Ms. Donovan's professionalism is a breath of fresh
air! Also, it
was clear she read the book and took time with it. I could not be more
pleased."
David Stoneham, Author,
Once Upon a Wonderland: "Just wanted to say how impressed and pleased I
was
with Diane Donovan’s review of my book – Once upon a Wonderland. For
me, three
things stuck out and differentiated her review from the crowd (even
though I am
grateful for all of the reviews to date). Firstly, I
appreciated Diane’s
writing skills – she clearly articulates her opinions in a compelling
way in a
style of her own. Secondly, there was no doubt that she had read the
story and
given some thought to some of the underlying themes about change and
choices,
such as adult views versus childish innocence, expectation versus
reality and
physical/mental strength, to name a few. Thirdly, she raised some
interesting
aspects not picked up by other reviews, such as nuances of fear and
madness,
unpredictable twists and why things happen the way they do (I’m a firm
believer
in the why being as important as the what
when communicating). Of
course, it’s always heart-warming to hear someone likes the book too.
Thanks
again."
Mark
Therrien, Author, The
Megavan: "Diane
Donovan emailed me a draft of her review of my book The
Megavan today and I could not be more
pleased. Diane broke down
and supplied the exact heart of my book that was intended, and used
such
graceful language in doing so. She has been very timely in
all
correspondence and has been a joy to work with."
J.D.
Puett, Author, To
Be Human: "Diane
Donovan recently completed a review of my
book, entitled To Be Human. The fictional book
consisted of five
stories, three novellas and two novelettes, each set in different
locales and
with different protagonists, thus making it quite different from most
fictional
books with a few central characters. Ms. Donovan grasped the overall
theme of
the book and the interconnectivity of the stories, encapsulating the
contents
eloquently and very well. In my interactions with her, she was very
professional."
Tristan
Scotty, Author, Vertical
City: "Diane
Donovan was very organized, polite, and
informative when laying out the review steps, which made it a
very smooth
process. Also, her review was insightful, considered, and covered a
wide
range of aspects of the book from story, characters,
themes and
possible people/groups that may be interested, which I found
very
interesting and helpful to read."
KJ
Fieler, Author, Shadow
Runner: "My
experience with Diane Donovan was outstanding. Her
review was extremely professional. My publisher was pleased as
well. She
clearly read the book; she included quotes and references; she
accurately
identified the cross-genre nature of the story; and she completed her
review in
a timely manner."
Andrew
Scott Bassett, Author, The Rosey
View Of The World: "I
am just
taking a moment to let you know how happy I was with the recent review
I
received from Diane Donovan for my new novel, "The Rosey View Of The
World". Diane's review I would have to say was probably the best and
most
accurate review of any of my first two books, she did a wonderful job. "
Mo
Conlan, Author, The
Lost Books: Romance and Adventure in Tudor Times: "I
could barely
believe my eyes when my publisher sent me your review of my book, “The
Lost
Books: Romance and Adventure in Tudor Times.” It felt like I had gone
back in
time to a time when real, intelligent and honest reviews were being
written by
real, intelligent reviewers and printed in newspaper and other
media. I
saw that you had deeply understood my book. "
Lou
Earle, Author, The Typhoon Affair: "As
always,
Diane demonstrates a genuine interest in digging into the details of
the works
she evaluates. You can readily observe that care when you see how she
even
identifies specific dialogue to support her positions, something that I
find
rare in most reviews. Diane is a real credit.”
Sheri
Graubert, Author, Molly Shipton, Secret Actress: "Diane
is
attentive while staying neutral. She acknowledged my emails in a timely
manner.
She stated her goal to have the review complete by a certain time and
she
delivered. She is highly professional, her review is well-written and
thorough.
She has clearly spent time with my book. I truly appreciate her focused
attention to detail. ”
Yana
Lambert, The Human Effectiveness Institute: "We
just
received Diane's reviews of Bill Harvey's books, Pandemonium:
Live to
All Devices (a tome at 504 pages) and The
Message -- and
are absolutely delighted with Diane's brilliantly insightful and
thoughtful
critique of both books. Additionally, she turned out her reviews in
less than 2
weeks from receiving them -- very impressive and much appreciated! And
she's a
pleasure to work with, very responsive and personable. The author, Bill
Harvey,
noted that Diane made salient points in her reviews that none of the
other
reviews we've received (including BookLife) had
mentioned. We'll
be delighted to have Diane review our future works.”
John
E. McNellis, Author, O'Brien's Law: "I’m
writing to
both thank you for your too-kind review and to say that, of the 100+
reviews
I’ve received thus far (both professional and Amazonian), you alone got
it. At
heart, O’Brien’s is simply a coming-of-age story about
a—hopefully—charming,
but woefully misguided young man who may be finding
his way by book’s
end.”
Mara
Purl,
Author, Why
Hearts Keep Secrets: "My
publisher and I just received Diane
Donovan's review of my new book, "Why Hearts Keep Secrets."
Wow,
we are so pleased and impressed with her thorough read, her
in-depth grasp of the characters, themes, ideas and style, and her
mentions as
to why both readers and libraries will enjoy the book. All of this will
be
incalculably helpful to us!”
'Deji
Ayoade,
Author, UNDERGROUND:
A Memoir of Hope, Faith, and the American Dream: "I
wanted to
drop a few lines for the outstanding work and review by Diane Donovan.
Her
detailed and thorough review showed she delved deep into my story.
She's
patient and flexible with the review publication options she sent me,
showing
she wasn't in a hurry or trying to rush the service. I appreciate
Diane's work
and give her 5/5 for her outstanding work.”
Roma
Cordon, Author, Betwitching a Highlander: "Diane
made the
process seamless, and explained everything thoroughly to me at each
step. And I
can tell you I had a lot of questions! I am absolutely blown away by
her
thoughtful, detailed and well written review for Bewitching A
Highlander.”
Brian
Storm, Author, The Struggle: "I
am 100%
satisfied with the honest book review I received from Diane
Donovan. Diane
was very responsive and transparent through the entire
process, and the
review itself was very well written! She also gave me multiple
opportunities to
make sure the details of my book were accurate, and to make any last
minute
changes to pricing and/or links to my website.”
Andrew
McAleer, Co-Editor, Edgar and Shamus Go Golden: "Book
Reviewer
Diane Donovan is responsive and thorough. Qualities not often seen
today. She
recently completed a review of an anthology I co-edited Edgar
and Shamus Go
Golden.”
Natalie
Wright, Author, Season of the Dragon: "Not
only was
Diane professional in her communications and timely, but her review was
thoughtful and well-written. Reading her review, it’s clear that she
not only
read the entire book, but that she took the time to digest the book
before
penning her review.”
Ron
Jensen, Author, Death of the Antagonist: "I
wanted to
let you know how much I appreciated the work done by Diane Donovan on
my
submission of Death of the Antagonist for review. I
read through some of her prior reviews before
interacting with her, so I knew that she could be honest, yet very
tactful. I
agreed with an expedited arrangement since I have an upcoming release
date of
4/1/23 and she worked amazingly quickly. Her review was very clear, and
showed
meticulous attention to both the large plot picture and the nuances of
chapters
and sentences within the story. I was very impressed.”
Rosilyn
Seay, Author, Colors Carter Carver's Way: "For
my latest
book, Colors Carter Carver’s Way, Ms. Donovan’s analysis was thought
provoking
and perceptive. I appreciate that she intuited what I was trying to
accomplish
with the book, and her review comments highlighted some of the less
obvious
aspects of the story.”
Diana
Fedorak, Author, Children of Alpheios: "I
recently had
my debut novel, Children of Alpheios, a science fiction and fantasy
novel
reviewed by Diane Donovan, and I had a wonderful experience with her.
Because
this was my first book, I wasn't sure what to expect. I found Diane to
be very
professional and accessible, explaining to me how the review process
works. She
contacted me promptly when her review was completed. Most importantly,
she gave
my book a very insightful and honest review that I believe will really
help my
book's visibility to libraries and for sales. She's the consummate book
expert.”
Jean
Hackel Wulterkens, Author, Theresa, et al: "Ms.
Donovan's
thoughtful review means a great deal to me. It was clear from what she
wrote
that she gave my novel her full attention and carefully analyzed what
made it
meaningful to her. I'm hoping others will respond to her review by
choosing to
dedicate some of their own valuable free time to reading it too.”
Patsie
McCandless, Author, The Secrets of Windy Hill:
Becoming Jesse: "Diane
Donovan is a star! From our
first meeting – cyberly speaking – she welcomed with her amiable good
humor;
and she clearly laid out every detail for our next steps
together. I felt
an immediate impact of supportive wisdom and understanding that her
years of
experience and expertise afford. I recently received her first draft
review,
and I am overwhelmed with how wonderfully she understood my character,
and the
lessons of Light imbued within his story. Her first attempt – and it is
perfect! Diane Donovan exceeded my expectations, and, as an author
and publisher, I am so grateful."
Michael
Caduto, Director,
Green Heart Books,
for Eye of the Ocelot by
Volta Rose: "Diane
Donovan was a pleasure to work with, and
professional throughout our communication. Notably, Ms. Donovan took
the time
to thoroughly read and consider the novel from a number of
perspectives. The
result is a thorough and in-depth review that truly reflects the nature
of the
writing, as well as the development of the story, plot and characters.
Ms.
Donovan's review is insightful in its regard for the originality of the
story
and how it draws from several genres, as well as its connection to
larger life
issues.”
David
J. Muchow, PLC, Author, The 7 Secret Keys to Startup
Success: "Diane
Donovan nailed the significance of the book and how
it’s different from the 2,000 or so other business books that come out
each
year, and captured the key elements of the book in an easy to read way.
As to
prompt – she was right on time as promised and even when I offered her
more
time because of the Holidays she stayed on the original schedule!”
Gregory
Hill, Author, Sister Liberty: "Diane
Donovan
is a pleasure to work with. Further, the review she wrote for my latest
novel,
Sister Liberty, is a rare and precious thing: it's perceptive,
well-composed,
and clearly the product of someone who knows what she's doing. After
blowing
$800 on a couple of cookie-cutter sub-high-school-term-paper reviews
from
Kirkus and Booklife, it's a relief to read someone who can make a point
elegantly and concisely...and all without--miracle of miracles--relying
on
Grammarly to hold their hand. ”
Rodney
G. Miller, Author, Communication Essays and Communication
& Beyond: "I
would like
you to know how much I appreciate Diane Donovan's thoughtful reviews.
For both
Communication Essays and Communication & Beyond, she
put a spotlight
on the larger issues that these somewhat different books
address. It's
refreshing to interact with someone with her grasp of a wide range of
subjects
who offers quality insights--coupled with such professional courtesy.
She
certainly evaluates both the forest and the trees to headline
what
matters. ”
Jennifer
Welborn, Author, Dr.
Rosie Helps the
Animals: "Diane
Donovan clearly read my book, understood its
messages, and conveyed that understanding through her eloquent,
thoughtful, and
comprehensive review. She wrote from her expertise as a book
reviewer,
(not a content reviewer), which is professional and honest.”
R.L.
Dean, Author, Writing
for
Happiness: "Just
a word regarding Diane Donovan's recent
review of my novel Waiting
for Happiness. I have had two other
editorials done for this novel from competing agencies- both were
shallow and
quick. Ms. Donovan was able to capture what I was looking
for- the
permeation of the faith element in the novel- I'm very pleased that it
shown
through in the life of the main character and that it was a highlight
in the
review.”
Brian
Kaufman, Author, A
Shadow Melody: "Writing
to
comment on my review experience with D. Donovan - I submitted a fairly
complex
novel with interwoven themes. I don't expect reviewers or readers to
"get" everything - the story works as an adventure, too. But the
review I got was amazing. D. Donovan misses nothing. I
am astounded
by the careful reading and analysis.
First rate experience. I needed to let someone know.”
Charlotte
Stuart, Author, Moonlight
Can Be
Deadly: "Just
wanted to let you know how pleased I am with
Diane's review of Moonlight Can Be Deadly. Not just
because it was
positive, but her analysis focuses on things that I believe are my
strengths as
a writer. She goes beyond the usual plot summary review to speak to
specific
attributes of characters and motivation.”
Ruth
Bush, Author, WAVES
on the Potomic: "Not
only were
Ms. Donovan's directions for submission clear and comprehensive, but
her love
for her work pervades her communication. My interaction with
her was a
joy from start to finish.”
Shel
Danielson, Author, The
Bell Tower
Ghosts and Other Stories: "Diane
was a delight to work
with: gracious and professional. Her review was not superficial. She
got inside
the stories and made important comments. That her review was positive
and
encouraging added extra value to our experience. Then she followed up
with a
question about information that I had not provided
initially. This is a
big Thank You to Diane Donovan for the great work! ”
More Accolades for 2022
Linda
Yoshida, Author, Requiem
for a Queen: "Diane
Donovan creates an excellent review and did
so for my latest book, Requiem For A
Queen. There are so many quotes in the well-written review
that I can use
for promotional purposes. She is an exceptional reviewer and
hard-working,
outstanding writer, and I love working with her.”
Turner
Grant, Author, To
Venus and Back: "A
quick note to let you know how
pleased I was to work with Diane Donovan and of her review of my just
released
memoir. Communication was timely and complete with all the
information I
needed to know, and she was exceptionally quick with the minor
revisions I
requested (within an hour). From beginning to end it
was a great
experience (I can't say that of other review services I dealt
with).
In addition, her review was the most thoughtful and in depth of all the
nine
pre-publication reviews I received and is featured on my recently
completed website.”
Kristen
Culpepper, Author, The
Lonely Toadstool: "Diane
Donovan's review was
thorough, touching on a variety of points. It was
clear that she
actually allowed herself to experience the
book and didn't
just rush through it or only read it at a surface level. As an author,
that
means so much! The last two "points" especially hit home with me as I
believe that reading aloud with our children and healing at the heart
level are
critical to their (and our society's) well being. I was
thankful Diane
saw this in the messages of The
Lonely Toadstool.”
Lloyd
Jeffries, Author, A
Potion of Malice: "Miss
Donovan’s review was honest and
thoughtful. I receive many reviews and always relish the ones where the
reviewer thinks about the many things that combine to make a story come
to
life. Miss Donovan took the time to digest my story and chose her words
carefully before writing. As an author, it means the world that her
thoughts
were carefully crafted and well-written. She has a knack for providing
a
“picture” of the story. I was most impressed by her ability to tell
about the
story in an objective way. I felt her review was free from personal
opinions,
true to the story, written with careful consideration given to every
word, and,
above all, honest.
A true professional review is hard to come by. Most reviewers
just blast through the story while failing to capture any part with
deliberation or precision. I felt Miss Donovan’s review was surgically
precise
and showed a talent for themes, concepts, subtleties, and nuances of
language.
Miss Donovan is an exceptional reviewer. She writes well, expresses
thoughts in
clear, yet resonant, language and has the rare ability to capture and
relate
all aspects of a story.
In short, I’m thrilled my book received due attention, due
thought, and due process. Miss Donovan is an exceptional reviewer whose
talent
shines. I’ve no doubt that readers follow her recommendations with a
glued eye.
She is a gem, an honor I don’t bestow easily, and my book is better for
her
having reviewed it.
Susan
Kraus, Author, When
We Lost Touch: "From
my perspective, the book was 'seen' and
understood as a whole ( and the review was not just a plot summary
lifted in
part from the back cover.) So, a thoughtful and holistic
review.
Gratifying to me after two years of research and writing. One I can
provide to
libraries when I contact them about When We Lost Touch. Diana
Donovan got it, and WWLT is a BIG one to 'get.' It
does not fit
into any genre box.”
Michael
J. Brooks, Author, Republic
Under Siege: "The
review for my book, Republic Under Siege:
Threat from Within, has been completed by Diane Donovan. It
was an
excellent, well-worded review. It was one of the best written
reviews of
my work that I have read.”
Lena
Bean, for FastFlight 540: "Words
can't
express my gratitude for the incredible review written by Diane Donovan
for the
book FastFlight 540. Diane is the perfect combination of "highly
professional" and "sincerely kind". Her review was very helpful,
and we're using it in multiple places.”
Benjamin
Harnett, Author, The Happy Valley: "I
just wanted
to write to tell you how pleased I am with Diane's review of my book. I
am, of
course, happy she liked it, but I also believe she has done a terrific
job of
teasing out the themes and qualities of the book that I have had a hard
time
myself articulating. I think it's an absolutely terrific and
well-thought out
and useful review.”
Carter
McNamara, MBA, PhD, Author, Wolf: "I
hired Diane
to review my new memoir, “Wolf: a Memoir of Love and Atonement.”
She
wrote a very meaningful, in-depth and insightful review,
indeed. She noticed subtleties from the story, that I (the author) had
not even
noticed. She grasped a main point. Her review also broadened my
thoughts about
possible audiences for the book."
Lance
Lee, Author, Family Matters: "Just
received
the review for FAMILY MATTERS from Diane Donovan.
I
think she is a superb reviewer, frankly, and not simply
because she’s liked my books! What impresses me is her insight both
into an
author’s intent, and into his execution, without approaching things
with a
mindset of: this should be a Romance … or this should be a Hollywood
Memoir …
or…. It’s her ability to see a book’s real virtue or failing outside of
these
categories that is so refreshing.”
Julie
Aydlott for J.A. Publications Ltd, Crow Country: "I
just wanted
to give a huge shout-out to Ms. Donovan who reviewed our upcoming
release of
“Crow Country”. The book in itself was over 400 pages, and I
had to
review not only the book but the audiobook as well which was almost 12
hours.
The fact that she was able to complete it during the time period was
most
impressive, and, that she sent the review on the publication date –
October 9th,
2022 – which was very much appreciated. Her communication
during the
process was outstanding, her review was detailed and articulate (and
awesome!)
and I would highly recommend her and use her again for pre-release
reviews.”
E.M.
William, Author, Polaris Coyote: "The
day Diane
was assigned my title, she e-mailed me detailed information regarding
the
process, including key dates and links. She was also quick to
write back
with informative and helpful responses whenever I contacted her.
Diane
sent me her review of POLARIS COYOTE right on schedule a
couple of days ago, and I was delighted by how eloquently she captured
the
spirit of the book, and her thoughtful, perceptive analysis.
I
could not be more pleased with my experience with Diane.”
Lou
Earle, Author, Apogee: "Everything
about my experience with Diane has been first rate, Diane was very easy
to
communicate with and when I had questions she responded quickly and
clearly. In
my opinion her review was fair, honest and credible. It was clear that
she took
the time to not only understand the details, but also articulated
accurately
the underlying issues the book postulates that go beyond the story and
apply to
today’s world.
I
have had a number of firms review my work and I can honestly
say that Diane’s review was at the top of the list.”
Debra Westgate-Silva, Author, Bethlehem Barn: "I wanted to take a moment to let you know how pleased I am with my experience with Diane Donovan. She clearly explained the directions and timeline for the review of my picture book Bethlehem Barn, and the process went just as she said. It’s clear to me that she took the time to read and reflect on my book and to write an accurate, honest, and well-written review. I am deeply appreciative and would recommend her to others seeking a high-quality review.”
Malia
Arries, Author, Dad Died, Then Mom: "I
was honored
to have Diane Donovan review my book. Diane is wonderful. She responded
to my
messages quickly, her review was ready two days before she said it
would be,
and the review was incredibly professional and well done. It was
challenging
sharing such a personal story with the whole world until Diane gave my
story
credibility and captured my purpose in writing it.”
Sarah
Beth Martin, Author, In the Vanishing Hour: "I
wanted to
write and tell you about the wonderful job Diane Donovan did reviewing
my
novel, In the Vanishing Hour. Her review
was beautifully written,
and included just the right balance of commentary on plot, writing
style,
quotes, and reader recommendations. I'm honored and thrilled to use her
review
in my future marketing of the book. Diane was also
professional and communicative, and
delivered the review before the deadline. I would highly recommend her
to my
fellow authors, and hope to use her services again in the
future.”
Kevin
Kuhens, Author, Terror's Sword: "Ms.
Diane
Donovan just finished a review of my recently released novel titled
Terror’s
Sword. Ms. Donovan’s review was positively terrific in every word! To
say that
I am thrilled would be an understatement—it’s what I’d hoped for and
more. One
aspect of her review took me by surprise: I found it amazing that she
captured
in her own words precisely what I was trying to convey to readers. That
skill
is a gift. All authors think we have provided material worthy of
outstanding
reviews. However, as you know, authors sometimes fall short. Ms.
Donovan’s
critical analysis validated that I achieved my goal of writing a good
novel
that people will enjoy reading. Her unintentional message is as
important to me
as her review.”
Ben
Abelow, Author, How the West Brought War to Ukraine: "Thank
you for
your beautiful review of my book. I so appreciate a thoughtful,
positive, and
ultimately supportive discussion of a work that, in the current
zeitgeist, is
too easy to paint with biased and unjust criticism. As an author who is
understandably eager for positive reviews, I am not exactly a
disinterested
party. But even when read "at arm's length," this review clearly
reflects a deep, thoughtful, analytical engagement with the
material. A
wonderful review.”
Douglas
Whipple, Co-Author, When Universes Bleed: "Diane
wrote a
fantastic review, was always amazingly responsive (I mean, better than
I am,
and I think I'm pretty responsive), and as helpful as could be. I
couldn't have
asked for a better person to work with during this review process. If I
were
asked, I would recommend her highly, completely, and
unconditionally.”
Adria
Batt, Marketing Strategist, Ike’s Journey and True
North, Down South: "It’s
been great working with Diane
Donovan on two Reader Fee Reviews for Ike’s Journey
and True North,
Down South. She’s been easy to work with and on time with her
finished
reviews. Diane’s reviews were very thorough and both authors were very
pleased
with what she wrote and how she highlighted the unique aspects of each
of their
books."
Margaret
Porter, Author, The Myrtle Wand: "As
she has done
for a prior title of mine, Diane Donovan offers not only a detailed and
accurate but a highly perceptive assessment of the characters, plot,
and
setting. I'm naturally relieved and gratified that her opinion of The
Myrtle
Wand is so positive, but I also respect the quality of her
writing. And as
a book reviewer myself, I'm well aware of the time and effort required
to
produce a skillful review."
Susan
Hamilton, Author, Stone Heart: "I
got my first
look at Diane's review today and I'm very pleased. Of course, I am
happy that
she enjoyed it and gave it a positive review, but she's been great to
work with
as well. Very responsive to emails and always pleasant. I especially
appreciate
that she used some excerpts from Stone Heart to illustrate her points.
I've had
reviewers sometimes just use a book's back cover copy, and you wonder
if they
ever read the actual story. Based on her selections, I have no doubt
that Diane
read it."
Bonny
Fawn, Author, The Clients: "Diane
Donovan
did an exceptional job. Her review was beautifully written and she
quoted
several key lines in my book taken from the beginning, middle and end
of my
story. She definitely read my novel, and even better she understood the
deeper
issues I was attempting to relay. My book is thriller and I tried to
insert
some emotional angst beyond just the typical mystery and murder themes.
To her
credit Diane picked up on that which I love."
Spike
Adams, Author's Father, The Mask: "I’m
contacting
you about Diane Donovan’s review of my son’s book, The Mask.
I have
received many reviews by magazines, such as as Kirkus Reviews, Story
Monster’s
INC, BookLife, Feathered Quill, and others, but
Diane’s review was
one of the best, if not the best, that my family has received.
The
opinion is not based upon the fact that the review was
quite positive. Apart from being very well written, my opinion is based
upon
her extraordinarily thoughtful understanding of and keen insightful
into the
themes of a multi-layered allegorical fantasy.
My
wife has been a teacher for 22 years. For the past 12 years,
she has taught literacy to the fifth grade. Over five years ago, she
won
teacher of the year in her school. After reading Diane’s review, she
said,
“This is great! I think this is the best review yet!” My younger son
had a similar
reaction.
One
aspect of the review that my wife deeply appreciated is how
Diane pointed out the intrinsic value of the Mask not only to
readers,
but to teachers and librarians, too.
Diane
has reinforced my belief that the impact of Clayton’s
story upon the lives of others can be significant and meaningful in a
world
obsessed with physical appearance and “ being different”."
Jane
Hopkins, Author, Cemetery Reflections: "Diane
Donovan’s review of my book Cemetery Reflections is
thoughtful and
beautifully expressed. It reflects a sensitive understanding
of the
issues I am trying to address and of the approach I am
taking. It is
particularly helpful in identifying types of readers who would be most
apt to
welcome having access to the book. Only a writer with long
experience and
deep empathy could convey an appraisal so succinctly and
effectively."
David
Hopkins, Author, A Slow Parade in Penderyn: "Book
review
publications enable authors (both known and unknown) to find their
audience and
provide readers fair warning on whatever book they dare to
open.
Truthfully, everything we do—from the writer, to the editor, to the
reviewer—is
in service to the reader. That's important. But also, a professional
review
enables me to have a better idea of how my work might be received.
That's an
invaluable gift.
In
particular, Diane Donovan is a true professional, accessible
and easy to work with. I thought her review of my book was insightful
without
pandering, informative without spoiling. It was very
well-written. Most
importantly, anyone who reads the review should have a good idea if
this is a
book they'd enjoy."
Christy
Hui, Author, Flying Fillies: "My
experience
with Diane has been top notch, from her responsive and clear
communications to
insightful and well-written review. She exudes professionalism in her
work.
It couldn’t be in more capable, honest hands. On top of that,
she’s a
wonderful writer. "
Winn
Taylor, Author, Dawn of the Watchers: "I
wanted to
take a moment to tell you how fortunate I feel to have been matched
with Diane
Donovan for the review of my novel, Dawn
of the Watchers. I'm thrilled that she enjoyed the
novel, but even
beyond that, she delivered a very thoughtful, rich review. It was clear
she put
time and intention into crafting a well-rounded perspective for
readers."
Fred
Gracely, Author, Misfit's Magic: The Last Halloween: "Diane
did a
fantastic job reviewing my debut novel, Misfit's
Magic: The Last Halloween. I can tell she took it as her
mission to help
potential readers, librarians, and other consumers understand the
nature of the
book, who would enjoy it, and why it might be right for them. She
detailed the
plot and characters and summed up her recommendations and thoughts
clearly and
succinctly. It was an honest and thoughtful review."
Jerry
Aylward, Author, The
Scarlet Oak: "Diane's
review
of The Scarlet Oak was a thorough and insightful review capturing the
essence
of the story line and characters that make the book a fascinating and
compelling read. Diane's professionalism as an editor/reviewer in
delivering an
in-depth review in a timely manner is a most rewarding achievement.
"
Harry
Groome, Author, Giant
of the Valley: "I’ve
just
received a review by Diane Donovan of my collection of novellas, Giant
of
the Valley. Diane’s review was on time and captured the
stories in both
novellas very adroitly. I was most impressed by her thoughtful comments
about
the book and the audiences that she thought would be best served by
reading it.
All in all, a high-level approach to reviewing my book that provides
all that
readers need to know when considering buying it."
Joe
Rothstein, Author, The
Moment of Menace: "My
new book is
The Moment of Menace, a political thriller that is somewhat out of the
usual
thriller framework in that it pushes hard for world nuclear disarmament
and
more rational control of emerging science. I don't expect every
reviewer to
appreciate mixing issues with story lines, but Diane Donovan, who
reviewed my
book, certainly did. I appreciate her insight and professionalism in
focusing
on the core of my message as well as its value as reader
entertainment."
Susan
Roosen and John Roosen, Authors, Dead
Man's Pose: "We wanted to circle back around to you for
helping us
obtain the very professional review by Diane Donovan. First,
of course,
is Diane's extraordinary review capability over the past 40 years.
Having
someone like Diane review your book is like the 'gold standard' for
reviews. She takes time to thoroughly read the book, to
understand the
various themes, overt and covert activities, and delights in the
writing
itself.
It is
always important to remember that an author makes a contract with the
reader at
the outset. The reader is investing valuable time to look at
what the
author has written. Time is a valuable commodity, so the
author must use
everything in their power to make that investment worthwhile.
Not
only did you enjoy the book, Diane, but you delighted in the small
things we
embedded everywhere. (And even caught the Opera we squeezed
in here and
there!) We mentioned we used a lot of care in the creation.
From two
Editors (from 2 countries), 3 proofreaders (though must say you must
have
enjoyed the Aussie spelling too!), a talented team for the book cover,
and
experts from everywhere to ensure we had accuracy including having a NZ
science
institute review the plausibilty of the murder weapon!!!"
Micheal
E. Jimerson, Author, White
Gold: "Diane
Donovan reviewed my novel, White Gold. I’ve
learned that writing an excellent review is an art. A well-written
review
demonstrates a thorough knowledge of the book’s structure preferably
without
sounding like a synopsis. If the writing is tolerable and the reviewer
competent, then there is a meeting of the minds resulting in a review
setting
forth the premise and themes of the novel. A gifted reviewer pulls the
author
into her viewpoint and opens his eyes to something he couldn’t see from
his
vantage point. White Gold is a mystery/thriller. I
feared White Gold
would prove formulaic and contrived, but without knowing my concerns,
Diane
described the novel as “refreshingly different.” So I write to commend
not only
because I loved the review, rather because she treated my work with
great
dignity and respect."
Krista
Ehlers, Author, Daze
of Isolation: "I
have just completed the book review process
with Diane Donovan, and I wanted to take a moment to let you
know what a
pleasure it was to work with Diane.
The
book review itself was professional and uplifting! After 6
months slogging it through self-publishing, I found her insights to be
very
encouraging. In addition, she really knows her stuff! As a former IT
professional, I'm used to working with people who have trouble managing
file
transfers and electronic payments and such, but Diane knew as much or
more than
I did. This made it very easy to work with her. She was also very quick
to
respond to my questions, and completed her review just when she said
she
would.
Overall,
this was a great process and well worth the effort."
Rich
Merritts, Author, Birds
& Things to Ponder: "Diane
Donovan's reviews are
exceptional, and she does not miss any detail within the reviewed
material. She
must read a tremendous amount to be able to accurately and effectively
review
books with amazing detail about the subject matter in such a short
amount of
time. Which brings me to schedule. Diane consistently gives a timeframe
of
completion of the review and has consistently beat her own deadline, in
my
experience."
Mark
Ortman, Author, The
Secret to Everyday Communication (Without Argument): "On
March 29,
2022, Diane was assigned to read and review my latest
title, The
Secret to Everyday Communication (Without Argument). I sent
the notice to
Diane, and she responded within an hour with all the details for
submission and
the timeline. I followed up with her requirements, and she quickly
acknowledged
receipt stating everything was received and in order.
The
day before her promised completion date (May 10th),
I
received a 300-plus word review draft with a note to reply to any
corrections
(spelling, etc.). I had a couple of minor punctuation questions,
mindful of not
influencing her review writing style. She returned with the
modifications
within an hour!
My
book is a thin yet dense title that attempts to unravel the
complexities of everyday communication uniquely and practically. What
Diane
captured in her review was a deep understanding of what my book was
trying to
convey and why it is of value. I appreciate her insights!
Diane
Donovan was prompt, efficient, insightful, collaborative,
and professional."
J.T.
Michaels, Author, Jimmy
Chartron and the Lost Keystone: "I
just received my review from
Diane Donovan and she absolutely killed it! I wasn't expecting such an
in-depth, well-thought review that dissected my story to its barebones
and
messaging."
Ryan
Neely, Ahr Publishing: "I
wanted to
drop a line to express how satisfied and grateful I am for Diane's
services. I'm
often experience trepidation around reviews for some of the
books we work
with because we often see a polarizing response from their subject
matter.
Diane returned some a fantastic review for the two novels I submitted
to her
and I couldn't be happier."
Rodney
G. Miller, Author, Australians
Speak Out: Persuasive Language Styles: "Diane
Donovan
wrote an insightful review of Australians Speak Out:
Persuasive Language
Styles, which captures the essence of the book so well. She
also
incorporated valuable perspectives for US readers. I'm delighted with
the
positive response to excerpts of her review that I've put out in
publicity.
Her
professional and personable approach, in which her pride in
producing an accurate, honest, well-written review is so evident, made
contact
with her an absolute pleasure."
Troy
Knowlton, Author, Seekers:
The Winds of Change: "Diane
Donovan, did an amazing job with
the review. It was insightful, detailed, and took the time to reference
quotes
directly from the novel to provide examples of points made during the
review."
Margaret
Spearman, Author, Yesterday
Calling: "Diane
Donovan recently sent me her review of Steven W.
Horn’s new novel, YESTERDAY CALLING: A SAM DAWSON MYSTERY.
This is her
fourth time to review one of the Sam Dawson mysteries. Her reviews are
well-written and provide an accurate summary of the books without
giving away
the key secrets or ending. Her ability to select passages from a book
to capture
the true spirit of the book is uncanny. That she has reviewed three
other Sam
Dawson mysteries gave her insight into the new thriller that allowed
her to
review it not only as a stand-alone book, but as a chapter in the
series and
assess if the author was able to maintain and grow the Sam Dawson
character.
Diane’s review was all encompassing and well-done. I also appreciate
that when
she gives you her timeline for the review, that she meets it.
I’ll be using parts of the review as well as the full review to promote Steve’s new novel—not only prior to the release, but for years to come. Portions of the reviews are part of the previous books’ covers as well as on the back cover of the upcoming Yesterday Calling with a comment from her review on No Good Deed. In addition to the back covers of the books, portions of the Midwest reviews are used by my publicist on posters, sell sheets, media releases, social media, and the Granite Peak Press website – where the reviews are included in their entirety)."
Rebecca
Taniguchi, Author, Hiro's
War: "I
want to commend the efforts of Diane Donovan, who wrote
a sensitive and cogent review of my novel, Hiro’s War. She
accurately comprehended the way I had structured the message
of my book,
recognized and appreciated the evolution of my main character, and
identified
the myriad challenges that he and others faced in the many phases of
the novel,
from the internment of Japanese Americans and their outstanding
military
service to their country through the post-war years of continued
obstacles and
triumphs, ending after their participation in the bicentennial
celebration of
American liberty and justice for all. Diane’s communications to me
throughout
the review process were clear and thorough, and she was true to her
projected
schedule of completion.
Writers
and publishers can be assured of a reading that is full
of intelligence, integrity, and understanding when Diane Donovan is at
the
helm."
Don
Hurzeler, Author, Suddenly
Retired: "Diane
told me exactly what she needed and what to expect.
She then completed her work exceptionally quickly and did a very
complete job
on the review. I love it and it will be very useful in my
marketing and
awareness around my new book. Wish I was reviewing her...I
would give her
Five Stars and a great write up.
I
had an experience with one of your competitors that made me
want to tear out what little hair I have left. Delay after
delay...lots
of changes in requirements...took forever and the review was
worthless...the
reviewer all but called me a liar about photographing salt water
crocodiles in
the water with them with no cage or safety equipment...when it is
clearly
documented that I did just that....called other adventures I was
on...one where
another party compound fractured his leg and another died as
"tame"....if you can call hiking five miles out to running lava that
is flowing over a cliff at 3am "tame". The reviewer did not
get
me nor grasp the subject matter and his review went right in the
trash...not a
scathing review, just completely off point.
Diane
clearly got the book and understood the important
parts...and writes so well that it makes me think I should have paid
better
attention in class."
Krys
Call, Author, In the
Neighborhood, Seagull Lane, and Here and Away: "The
reviews
were so conscientiously done and much better written than most reviews
that I
have seen on the backs of books of all genres that I feel very
fortunate indeed
to have gotten a reviewer of such expertise. The books that she
reviewed
required careful reading because they were written by a first person
narrator
with a point of view which reflects 1% of the population
according to most
personality surveys such as the Myers-Briggs test,
and the DSM-V.
corroborates the rarity of this atypicality. Therefore, the
books
required a thoughtfully analytical and open-minded perspective on the
part of
the reviewer. I was so relieved that Ms. Donovan aced
it! "
David
H. Rothman, Author, Drone
Child: "Diane
Donovan has been a pleasure to work with. She met
her deadline for the first draft and promptly sent in the next version.
Best of
all, she understood and carefully explained my book rather than just
whipping
off a plot summary and not much else. Her genuine enthusiasm came
through in a
very persuasive way."
Sarah
Branson, Author, A
Merry Life: "Diane
has been a consummate professional.
After I initially emailed her, she responded promptly and gave
me a
timeline that she stuck to precisely.
The
review itself was thorough and insightful and went far
beyond simply stating what happened in the book and whether she liked
it. She
looked deeper into the text and brought out points that will definitely
guide
readers as they choose books. Her recommendations for libraries and
book clubs
will be invaluable in my marketing. I couldn't be happier with her
work."
Kirsten
Marion, Publisher, for Lucy & Dee,
The Silk Road
and The Math Kids, The Triangle Secret: "Diane
Donovan
did a stellar job reviewing the titles above. She grasped the essence
of each
story and has given readers of each review an excellent
indication of what
they can expect from each title. We are very pleased with her
work!"
Jack
Hanrahan, Author, Traveling Freedom's Road: A Guide to
Exploring Our Civil Rights History: "From
the
outset, Diane's communication was clear and timely. Her
review accurately
captured so much of what I put into the book; in fact, she is the first
reviewer to mention how the book is as valuable to the "armchair
traveler" as it is for those who get out on Freedom's Road. I
think
her invitation to authors to give her any post-review feedback shows an
open-mindedness that is the hallmark of a real pro...someone who cares
about
getting it right."
Ellie
Alexander, Author, Lost Coast Literary: "I
just
received a draft of the thoughtful and well-crafted review by Diane
Donovan for
my novel Lost Coast Literary. As a
traditionally published author,
my publicist has handled reviews for previous book releases. This is my
first
independent standalone novel and I’ve been so impressed with the
process and
with Diane. From prompt response times to a carefully crafted, honest
review
with plenty of pull quotes, my expectations have been exceeded.
"
Danielle
Dayney, Author, When Love Sticks Around: "I'm
incredibly
pleased with my book review. Diane Donovan is a gem. She read my memoir
and
wrote the most beautiful review, and she returned it
even sooner than
she promised. I really and truly couldn't be happier."
Donald
Levin, Author, Savage City: "I
just wanted
to take a minute to let you know how satisfied I was with Diane
Donovan's
recent review of my novel, Savage City. She wrote a fine
review of the
book, with a keen appreciation of my purposes in the work. I was also
very
impressed with her professionalism; I heard from her right away, she
let me
know what her schedule was, and she followed that schedule
exactly. All in
all, it was a very positive experience for me and, I hope, for her."
Jonathan
Geoffrey Dean, Author, Salt & Light; The
Complete Jesus: "I
just received my review, Salt &
Light; The Complete Jesus, from Ms.
Donovan
and I wanted to compliment her on a great job. She
provided a complete and accurate portrait of the book and I
was
particularly pleased to see that she has picked up on the
broad
appeal of the
book, something other reviewers seem to miss. She was also
very
easy
to work with. I am completely satisfied."
Elizabeth
Engstrom, Author, The Itinerant: "What
I love
about this review is not that it’s a good review (although I love that
part),
but it’s a smart review, and clearly you read the whole book. This is
not the
case with some reviewers, so for that I’m grateful."
Ellen
Dee Davidson, Author, Wind: "I
wanted to
write you a quick email and let you know how thoroughly delighted and
pleased I
was with both Diane Donovan's review of my book, WIND, and the
professional way
she shared information and correspondence with me. Her review was
actually my
favorite one of the 6 professional editorial reviews I have received.
Several
of the reviews were equally positive and glowing, but Diane's stood out
because
I felt she really captured the essence of the story and what I was
trying to
say. I had the, "She nailed it!" feeling."
Stephanie
Cotsirilos, Author, My Xanthi: "Just
a brief
note today to tell you about my excellent experience with Diane
Donovan, who
recently reviewed my novella, My Xanthi. She was
promptly responsive,
gracious, and clear throughout the review process, and I believe she
read the
book completely, sincerely, and with expertise and insight. Those
qualities can
be hard to come by."
Per
Olav Verås, Author, The Syphilis Artist: "I
just
received Diane Donovan's review of my debut novel, The Syphilis Artist.
As I
mentioned to her in my email, she captured my heart with her fine
review. It
struck at the very soul of my novel with it's fine portrait of
my main
character, and indeed, she captured the thoughts that motivated me to
write
what for me became an obsession.
Thank
you again for your literary service. It is essential that
we, as writer's, have services like yours that so professionally treat
our
material and writing with the same deliberation that
we used
in writing our work."
Joe
Byrd, Author, Monet & Oscar: "I’m
very
pleased with working with Diane Donovan. She was extremely professional
and a
pleasure to work with. She highlighted a number of interesting points
about my
book, “Monet & Oscar,” that other reviewers haven’t."
James
Hailey, Author, The Memory of Sydney: "I
note that Diane
is a senior reviewer, and I guess I was just lucky to draw her,
especially for
this book, as it is so off the beaten track that only someone with a
lot of
professional reviewing experience could deliver a balanced viewpoint.
I
have received Diane’s draft review, and I must say that it is
most satisfying, and not merely because it is a positive review. For
your
information, this book already has an absolute rave editorial review.
What
makes Diane’s review hold so much value is that it covers
many of the points that I am hoping the average reader will get.
Whoever reads
this review first, and then reads the book, will find whatever the
review made
them expect in it. And that, guiding readers in the right direction,
would
surely be the definition of a well-written review."
Madeleine
de Jean, Author, And the Stars Began to Fall: "But
every word
in a review is worth its weight in gold to the survival of the words of
writers. And Diane Donovan herself certainly has a
way with words.
Wow.
Wish I could write as well!
Because this novel is not easy to pin into a neat category, as she well says, is one of its difficulties for reviewers and for libraries and bookstores. BUT, as she also says, this lack is one of the pleasures of the story."
Martha
Cornog, Author, Paradox: The Attack on the Ladies
Room: "Diane
Donovan sent me a draft of her review of my book, Paradox:
The Attack on the Ladies Room. I am very pleased with her
review.
First,
her review emphasizes the nature and appeal of the
story's way-out science, which isn't something that just anyone would
choose to
mention in a review. Yet describing that makes sense for a review of a
science
fiction story, for which potential readers are going to want some kind
of clue
as to what the "science" element might be like.
Second,
she also describes how the science is tangled up
entertainingly with the mystery and action elements. And her choice of
"sassy" strikes me as excellent."
Brad
O'Hagan, Author, Scoundrel in the Thick: "I
have just
received the review of my novel, Scoundrel in the Thick,
from Diane
Donovan, and wanted to let you know how much I appreciated her
professionalism,
responsiveness and timeliness during the process.
For
most of the past two decades I worked as a
ghostwriter for Fortune 100 CEOs and national political figures, from a
former
Director of the CIA to the CEO's of companies like Exxon and Boeing. 22
books
in all. And, while I was pleased with most of the reviews, it seemed
that none
of the reviewers could get past their own personal political
biases simply
because of the name on the cover.
So,
it was very refreshing for me to work with an objective pro
like Diane who clearly reviewed the book for what it is.".
Cheryl
K. Johnson, Author, Box Lunch Lifestyle: "As
a
first-time author, many of the systems, deliverables and relationships
I'm
wrestling with are pretty murky. My experience with Diane Donovan,
though, has
been a true bright spot.
While
I'm thrilled that she liked my book, I also deeply
appreciate how clearly and promptly she communicated
the review
process and expectations. And what a delight to actually
receive my review
earlier than expected. (I certainly won't expect this from
other--paid--reviews!)
Diane
seems to really love her work. So despite her
extraordinary book/publishing credentials, she's warm and accessible.
We
newcomers are pretty lucky to have an opportunity to learn from someone
like
her."
More
Accolades for 2021
Emilia
Rosa, Author, Finding
Christina: "I
just received a copy
of Diane Donovan’s review of my novel. I was apprehensive,
because I
never had experience with professional reviewers.
I
need not have been: Diane was very
professional and courteous. Her messages very clearly
outlined the
process.
But
the most surprising thing was how
much she was able to capture from my story; not one of my readers, who
let me
know their thoughts, got even close to the depth of detail she was able
to
grasp. But I guess that is what differentiates a regular
reader from a
professional reviewer."
Michael
Alvear, Author, Grand
Theft Weight Loss: "Diane
was a
pleasure to deal with and most importantly, that she understood the
concepts in
the book and effectively communicated them. I’ve gotten other
institutional
reviews that were positive but they seemed not to “get” the concepts
the way
Diane did."
Michele
Kwasniewski, Author, Rising
Star and Burning Bright: "I
had a great experience with my reviewer, Diane
Donovan. She followed through on the reviews of my books in a timely
manner.
Her reviews were thoughtful, thorough and well-written. I have had
experiences
in the past with reviewers who did not give me their review in a timely
manner
or who wrote reviews based solely on the blurb written on the back of
my book
cover. I am grateful for this professional experience."
Caroline
Brickley, The Friendly Bookshelf: "We
are very happy with our experience with Diane. She was
very prompt and clear throughout the process, and also gave our book a
thoughtful and well-written review. We just received our review
yesterday and
it's clear she put in a lot of time and consideration when reading and
reviewing our book."
Michael
Snarr, Author, The
Wolcott Circus: "Diane
Donovan just finished the review of my book, and she did a very
thorough job in
the process of writing a wonderful piece. I can tell she read the book
from
cover to cover, which I didn’t expect. I was also very impressed with
her
writing style as well as her interpretation of the book, capturing the
essence
of it in her review."
Linda
Lee Blakemore, Author, Entrenched:
A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go: "I
wanted to take a moment and let you know what an outstanding
job Diane Donovan did on the review of my book, Entrenched: A Memoir of
Holding
On and Letting Go. The book has been reviewed by several
highly regarded
and more expensive agencies, but Diane was, by far, the most
comprehensive,
thoughtful, and professional. In several short and
easy to use
paragraphs, she set my book apart from others, and captured the
storyline, the
theme, the importance of the topic, and emphasized my target
audience. I have recommended her to my writing
friends as well as to my
publisher, Leonella Press. And I would jump
at the chance to
use her again."
Aaron
Zevy, Author, Not Book
Club Material: "Needless
to say, it is
always easy to praise someone who gives you a good review but what
distinguishes Diane is that she gets it. Her reviews are so well
thought out
and professional and get at the heart of what I, as a writer, am trying
to
say. Hers was the
first review I
received for Almost the Truth and it gave me confidence to know that
the work
transcended the my circle of friends and family and those with
knowledge of
Jewish culture. That book went on to get a great review from Kirkus and
my
next, which Diane also liked, gotba starred review from Blue Ink. In
short. She
gets it. I was lucky to have her as a reviewer."
Clinton
Harris, Author, Shenendoah
Dreams: "I
just wanted to send you a
note to give you feedback on my experience with Diane Donovan. First,
she
delivered before schedule, which was absolutely amazing. Secondly, her
review
was concise, eloquent, and captured the essence of what I was
attempting to
purvey within the story to a point that her review brought one of my
editors to
tears. Diane not only made my day, but helped me to feel that my
efforts in the
writing of this book were worth it."
Van
Fleisher, Author, Final
Chance: "I
have just received my review from Diane Donovan for my
third book, Final Chance. Diane had previously reviewed books one and
two of
the trilogy. In each interaction with Diane I have been impressed with
her
professionalism, in all respects. She is prompt, courteous, thorough
and she
really gets to the essence of the story, or at least mine. She is an
asset to
authors who have the opportunity to work with her."
David
Yurkovich, Author, Let's
Say Jack Kennedy Killed the Girl: "I
received
Diane Donovan's review of our upcoming novel, Let's Say Jack Kennedy
Killed the
Girl. She wrote a really great, in-depth review, and it was obvious to
me she
really took her time to read the manuscript."
Eric
Peterson, Author, Sunshine
Chief: "Diane
was prompt to contact me, clear in her
communications about the process of working with her, and extremely
professional to deal with. As far as meeting her promised deadline, she
beat
the deadline by more than a week, which is most appreciated on my side
of the
table as we prepare our book covers for our November 1 publication date. Her attention to detail is
impressive. She
meticulously confirmed with me the book's title, ISBN, price, character
names,
and story line, and she presented our options for how and where the
review will
first appear."
A.J.
Massey, Author, Fever
Dreams and the End of All Things: "I've
commissioned a few reviews over the past few months, but the
one Diane
just finished was the best of them all. Her review was well-thought-out
and
extremely informative. Her attention to detail is
impeccable and she was
able to identify some of the key underlying themes
throughout. Anyway,
really happy about this review."
Thomas
Reilly, Author, Chasing
Time: "From
the start, Diane was clear and exact about the services and
timelines such that I had
no doubts about my expectations. In addition, she
crafted a
detailed review of my book that indicated she took it very
seriously.
Diane did a great job for me."
William
Burke, Author, Primeval
Waters: "I
just wanted to take a moment to praise Diane Donovan,
who recently reviewed my novel Primeval Waters. I’m
certainly happy that she enjoyed the book,
but also by how well written the review was. More than one person I
shared it
with pointed out how on point, concise and well structured her review
was.
Professional and intuitive. I
will seek
out her reviews in the future and tailor my reading list accordingly."
Ruth
Hull Chatlien, Author, Katie,
Bar the Door: "I
just wanted to let you know how pleased I am
with the book review that Diane Donovan did of my novel, Katie,
Bar the Door.
I thought she understood and encapsulated what I was trying to say in
the story
quite well and even added a clever insight of her own when she
said, "Katie rewrote a history paper when she realized that
her facts
and sources were outdated. Can she rewrite her life?" It's such a
delight
as an author when a reviewer makes a connection that you weren't even
aware of.
I also appreciated the care she took not to give away too much of the
story."
Kathleen
Rapp, Author, The
Unseen and the Unwilling: "Recently,
I submitted my book, The
Unseen and The Unwilling, to Diane Donovan for review. Diane
accepted and
detailed in her replied email that there were no guarantees for a good
review,
only an honest one. She also informed me when to expect
an advanced copy of the review and when it would be
posted.
Everything came to fruition and on time, exactly the way
Diane said it
would. Diane wrote a thorough review, pulling out quotes and
highlighted
why the modern reader might want to read it. Her review demonstrated
her
meticulous and thoughtful work ethic. Fortunately, my review
was a good
one. Be that as it may, even if it weren’t, I would still
write the
above. In this day and age, it is gratifying to find someone, like
Diane, who
is professional and conscientious about her work."
Nina
Navisky, Author, The
Fortune Cookie Writer: "As
you know, independent authors have
few options when trying to procure legitimate editorial reviews for
their work.
It was clear that Diane had read my novel in full (regrettably, not a
given
with all review services), and that she had contemplated its themes.
She was
accommodating in terms of scheduling, quick to reply to emails, and
wrote a
review that is useful for both readers and the author."
Paulette
Hampton, Author, Of
the Lilin: "The
eloquence and thoroughness of Diane's review
blew me away. After reading it, I felt as though she knew my book
better than I
did. It thrilled me to have been able to share my story with her. She
took time
and care in reading my book, and I'm most appreciative."
CK
(Kas) Sobey, Author, Musings, Woolgathering, & Ghosts: "As
a newer
writer, (this is my second book but quite a different genre than my
first), it
is so very important to receive a review like this. It makes me sit up
and hold
my head a little higher and continue writing with a smile, a dash of
inspiration and confidence! She
not only
patiently answered all my questions along the way, but has taken the
time to
honestly read and view my book with heartfelt and thoughtful
words. "
Dan
Fallon, Author, Love’s Legacy: Viscount
Chateaubriand and the Irish Girl: "I’m
writing
just to put in a good word for Diane Donovan, who recently completed a
review
of my soon-to-be-published book, Love’s Legacy: Viscount
Chateaubriand and
the Irish Girl. The review showed not just a
conscientious attention
to my book, but also revealed Diane’s love of literature, and her
careful
treatment of authors. Some reviewers, of course, do give an
author a
chance to correct factual errors, but not all do. In Diane’s
case, she
accompanies her "draft review" with a message that conveys her
concern for honesty and fidelity. Obviously, a reviewer is
not going to
change the judgment rendered in a review just because the author
objects, but
for a reviewer to acknowledge that there might be a factual error, or
even a
serious misunderstanding, is rare. Diane makes clear that
integrity is
foremost in her consideration and thus wins the author’s confidence
that a fair
review has been rendered."
Daryl
Potter, Author, Blind Man’s Labyrinth: "Diane has just reviewed my historical fiction
novel Blind Man’s
Labyrinth, and I was very pleased with her work. Getting a
positive review
is always nice, but more importantly, her review told me three things:
That is not always the case with
editorial reviews where the resulting work sometimes leaves an author
wondering
if the reviewer only skimmed over the piece and didn’t understand, or
perhaps
they were misassigned to a writing style less suited to their reading
preferences. Neither issue was apparent here. As an author, it’s a
breath of
fresh air to read a review that is as thoughtful as this one. "
Lance
Lee, Author, Orpheus Rising: "I
just received a fine review
from Diane Donovan of my children’s middle grade fantasy novel, Orpheus
Rising. The book has drawn a series of exceptional reviews,
like hers,
which is in keeping with that general tenor of its reception— by way of
example, just recently it received one of the rare Kirkus star reviews.
Unusually, Ms. Donovan took on the way the book escapes easy
categorization,
although presented as middle grade. That’s normally a problem, but here
she
indicated the story elements are so well interwoven it means the book
will be
enjoyed across categories by readers of a variety of ages and tastes. I
think
that’s quite smart. "
Ruth
Thompson, Author, Quickwater Oracles: "Of
the several
editorial reviews I have now received, Diane’s is by far the most
perceptive
and thoughtful, and gives the clearest picture of what a reader can
expect."
Linda
Gruenberg, Author, Hummer: "I
wanted to
let you know how pleased I am (even thrilled) with Diane Donovan's
review of my
children's novel, Hummer. The review is
well written, smart, and
compassionate--toward the characters, I mean. She clearly took the time
to
engage in the story and understand its pieces and the complexity of
characters
brushing against each other. Her summary was succinct and right on the
money. She analyzed Hummer on a
whole-story basis, then zeroed in
on some favorite parts to shine light where it made best sense,
enthusiastically creating selling points along the way. Her
review is
sure to help me sell copies and encourage the story out into the world
where
(like every author) I so long for my work to take flight. Her review
feels
invaluable. "
Will
Lonergan, Author, The Wanderer: "I'm
writing as
a follow up, to thank you for your guidance, and to share what a
wonderful job
Ms. Diane Donovan has done as our reviewer for The Wanderer. Her insightful
and thoughtful review will
be posted in October; we are delighted with it, and with her wonderful
service. You really "knocked the ball out of the
park" by
connecting us with Ms. Donovan. She was so helpful, courteous and
professional
in every way, and she delivered the review for our approval sooner than
promised. "
Lisa
Roles, Author, Ninety-Five: "I
wanted to
tell you how pleased I was with the book review Diane Donovan wrote of
my
upcoming thriller, Ninety-Five. Not only was the review favorable, it
was
insightful, well-crafted, and she really took the time to understand
the story
and its deeper mythology."
Michael
Cole, Author, The Zodiac Revisited, Volume 1: "The
review is
thorough and nicely written. It's clear from reading it that Diane read
the
book and invested considerable time and effort into sharing her
thoughts."
Ethan
Burroughs, Author, Messianic Reveal: "Diane
Donovan
kindly drafted a review of my first political/historical thriller
Messianic
Reveal. Her review was well crafted, insightful, and alluring
(which I
especially appreciated!). It provided just the right blend of
content and
reflection to inform and attract readers. I especially
appreciated
Diane's professional approach, regular communications, and predictable
timetables, all essential to me as I enter into the publishing
business. It's
not easy from a pride standpoint to allow someone to review and
criticize one's
work, but from the get go, I felt I was in good hands with
Diane."
Glenda
Carroll, Author, Dead Code: "I
wanted to
let you know that my experience with Diane before, during and after she
reviewed Dead Code, the third mystery in the Trisha Carson series was
more than
I could ask for. She was efficient, professional and met her
deadlines.
The review is extremely well written. But beyond that, she understood
the book
and the protagonist completely."
Jerry
Gold and J. Cartales, Black Heron Press: "I
just wanted
to let you know how much we at Black Heron Press appreciate Diane
Donovan's
reviews of our books. She is always on target, and always worth
reading."
Leonard
Krishtalka, Author, The Body on the Bed: "A
quick note
to commend Diane Donovan's literary review of my novel, The
Body on the Bed,
which is scheduled to be published in the September 2021 issue. Ms.
Donovan's
review was smart, extremely well-written, insightful, incisive, and
sensitive
to the interplay of themes, plot and characters. She is a terrific
asset, one I
would trust for an honest, professional review of any of my
novels."
Dina
Greenberg, Author, Nermina’s Chance: "I
wanted to
let you know that I received Diane Donavan’s review for my novel Nermina’s
Chance. Both the review and her interactions with me could
not have
exhibited a higher level of professionalism, insight, and expertise.
Please
know this is not always the case!"
Natalie Graszewicz and
Dominik Socha,
Authors, For Victims Yours and Ours: "we
are very
pleased with the review we have just received from Ms Diane Donovan. Ms Donovan is a
very sensitive, insightful observer and therefore has been able to
comprehend
our intellectually demanding work. We believe she did a splendid job
with her
thorough analysis."
Scott
Behrens, Director, Zenith Book Team, for The Final
Yen: "We
wanted to thank you for Diane Donovan's excellent
review of THE FINAL YEN (a novel by R. Sebastian Bennett),
upcoming in
the September issue. Diane Donovan's review was insightful
and
compelling. It provided just the right blend of analysis and
summary,
supported by appropriate quotes from the novel. The review has an
intriguing
introduction and a fine conclusion. Diane Donovan is a true
professional
and a gifted writer. Clearly, her review will benefit
readers, as it is
an accurate and engaging report on THE FINAL YEN."
Rosilyn
Seay, Author, Just My Luck: "I
recently
submitted my latest book, Just My Luck, for review.
This book project
holds special meaning to me. My sister and co-author, Lelia Coles, died
before
it could be completed. I just want to thank you for accepting the book
and for
putting me in contact with Ms. Diane Donovan. She not only completed
the review
in the time she predicted (actually a few days early), but she also
took the
time to understand what my sister and I were trying to
convey. Her review
was truly inciteful and comprehensive."
Mr.
Ameya Pandit, Author, Impressions: "Diane
provided
an accurate and wonderful description of my work. Her prose is
objective and
complete. I am very happy with my interaction with her. Her
professionalism
from the beginning to the end is worthy of this note. I am moved by the
fact that
she delved into the finer aspects of my work, the difficult essays in
the book;
and provided a clear and thoughtful feedback in her editorial feedback.
The
examples she has chosen, the words she has portrayed are
nothing more I
could have asked for from any reviewer. Her due diligence, her
attention to
detail, and her ability to grasp the philosophical depth of my
notes is
both laudatory and praiseworthy. I plan to use the review (along with
some
others), in prominent outlets for distribution."
Sharon
Dukett, Author, No Rules: A Memoir: "I
would like
you to know that I am pleased with the review, insights, and
accurate response time offered by Diane Donovan with her book
review of No
Rules. I can tell she took the time to not only read the book,
but also to
consider the story and its message. Her review offers some
fresh points
that I have not seen presented by others."
Susan K. Hagen, PhD, Author, Shall We Dance?: "I just want to follow-up on the review of Shall We Dance? by senior reviewer Diane Donovan. The review artfully characterized the book. Donovan obviously has a firm foundation in literary history and poetics, knowledge which I especially appreciated. She was also prompt and professional. I am very pleased with her review."
Charles
"LC" Fiore, Author, Coyote Loop: "Diane
Donovan,
who recently reviewed my new novel, Coyote Loop,
for the August issue.
Diane was thorough and thoughtful and
carefully considered my
themes and the story I hoped to tell. It was really an honor
to be read so
carefully. My novel presents a lot of potential
stumbling blocks for a
reader, but Diane navigated them with style and
grace."
Leona
Francombe, Author, The
Universe in 3/4 Time: "Diane
Donovan was a pleasure to
interact with: meticulous and punctual, but more than that, she truly
seemed to
get to the bottom of what I was trying to say with my story. This
required
insight, patience, intuition and hard work on her part, all of which
would seem
indispensable for a gifted reviewer, and which were reflected in her
comments
and approach."
Betty
Fudge, Author, Norm
And Ginger Enter The Hidden: "I
wanted to reach out and
express my appreciation for her professionalism. She communicated with
me very clearly
what the process would look like as well as the timeline for completion
of her
review. In addition she let me know what I could expect after she
completed her
review. The Hidden is my debut novel and the learning curve from first
draft
all the way through publishing has been filled with unexpected twists
and
turns! My experience with Diane has been wonderful. Clearly Diane took
the time
to read my middle grade adventure book! She wrote a review that
demonstrated
that she had taken time to read and understand the plot as well as the
character quirks that as the author, I feel make my book special. Her
review
communicates that to readers."
Bill
Wood, American Media Legacy, For Malice
and Mercy: "Among
the many reviews we've
received so far, we're thrilled Diane's review is more than just a
simple
summary. She offers some compelling insights that address the indelible
impact
of war on the lives of innocent people. Unlike most reviewers who
overlooked
many of these intended nuances, she was able to recognize them, and
explain how
they helped to tell the overarching story of this novel. We're grateful
that
she took the time necessary to thoroughly read and understand the book,
not to
mention submitting such a well written and powerful review."
Matthew
Cost, Author, Love
in a Time of Hate: "I
just wanted to let you know that
Diane at Donovan Literary is professional and fantastic. Her intro
email was
detailed and thorough and she has followed through on meeting the dates
set. More
importantly, she writes a
marvelous review. It certainly helps that she liked LOVE IN A TIME OF
HATE, but
beyond that, it is the most thorough review I’ve gotten on anything.
Better
than Kirkus or many other big names. She digs into the guts of the book
and
shares it without giving away anything crucial."
Tricia
D. Wagner, Author, The
Strider and the Regulus: "Diane
just completed a review of my
soon-to-be-released title, The Strider and the Regulus.
In receiving and
reading it, I was floored by how thoughtful and insightful Diane was in
providing the review. She really captured the heart of my book, keying
in on
the places that I’ve always felt would be most meaningful to present to
readers."
Bill
Amatneek, Author, Heart
of a Man: "I
just received Diane Donovan’s review of my anthology,
Heart of a Man. Her insightful review showed that
she understood and
appreciated what the anthology is trying to do and say. Her
close reading
of the book, her accurate and honest review, extremely well written,
made my
day. She did an outstanding job."
Pete
Obourn, Author, Women
Are Hard to Figure: "Diane
Donovan was my reviewer and she
was superb. She responded promptly, explaining the process, which was a
great
help and comfort to me, as this is my first book and i am
self-publishing.
Communication with her was a joy. I can compare that to other reviewers who turned out to be
frustrating to work
with."
Elizabeth
Gauffreau, Author, Grief Songs: "I
am writing to let you know how
pleased I am with the review of my debut poetry collection, Grief
Songs,
by Diane Donovan. The time, attention, and care she put into the review
were
truly gratifying. What impressed me most was that she approached the
book on
its own terms, rather than preconceived notions of what such a book
should
be."
Jenny
Jaeckel, Author, Boy, Falling: "Diane's
reviews
were in-depth, insightful, thoughtful, and I was very honored by her
words. In communicating with Diane throughout the process of
both reviews
I found her to be prompt, clear, friendly, and professional. Simply a
pleasure
to interact with."
JoDee
Neathery, Author, A Kind of Hush: "I
am so
pleased with the quality of the review on my new novel provided by
Diane
Donovan. It was so professional, insightful, timely, and on
point...she's a
keeper and an asset to authors and publishers seeking a well-written
honest
review. She's flexible and accommodating to the unpredictable whims of
publishing and it was a real joy to work with her. She clearly loves
what she
does."
Carole
Marsh, Publisher, Gallopade Books: "Diane
Donovan’s review of my new Epidemics, Outbreaks, and
Pandemics—Including
COVID1-19 accomplished
something far more than making me happy…her
spot-on comprehension
of how important it is for kids 9-and-up to hear
and “get” the truth about important matters that affected
them so
gravely
is essential. Kids needed to know more than the facts, they
needed
to know
adults screwed up! I did not say it that way of course, but
that
DD cottoned right
to the fact that I had been so earnest and honest just stunned me.
That
teachers and librarians will have a tool that does more than just share
the
facts will be so helpful to them. EVERYTHING
today is so fraught with one thing or another…so I really appreciated
your
reviewer’s wisdom in pointing out the added value of my
book."
Joan
M. Hellquist, Author, Piki Goes to College: "Not
only is
Diane very professional, with a lot of experience, but extremely polite
and
friendly in her email interactions with me. I'm new at this and she
explained
everything to me so well that I didn't have to ask for any explanations
at all
as to how the whole review process works. I am also very pleased with
Diane's
review as she mentions that not only will children enjoy the story,
Piki's
personality and the colorful drawings, but both the children and adults
reading
it will learn a lot about service dogs, making it both entertaining and
educational."
Linda
Long Radosevich, Author, The Bethlehem Boy: "Just
a word of
high praise for Diane Donovan as a reviewer. She was thorough,
professional,
and timely—even in contact with me by email on a Saturday! She gave me
far more
coverage than I ever expected as a first-time author. Given the length
of my
historical fiction, she responded in an extraordinarily timely fashion
and then
addressed my every concern. I deeply appreciate her communications."
Jane
Elzey, Author, Dying for Dominoes: "I
found Diane
to be easy to reach, easy and professional to work with, and she met
all of our
expectations. She set a clear time frame and met it, and both the
author and
publisher were pleased. It was apparent she read the book with earnest
and gave
it an honest review. She set the review out in the passage such that we
might
use her comments whole or in part without losing the gist, which is
much
appreciated for venues where brevity is required."
Bedri
Cag Cetin, Ph.D., Author, Sacred Life: Healing from the
Virus in Consciousness: "The
ultimate reward for any author,
who has literally devoted his life to a single book, must be more than
10
5-star reviews, just 1 review that shines so bright that in a single
page it
leaves the author in awe with its literary beauty, wisdom, and wonders.
It is a
very humbling experience for me, and this is such a review!
Sincerely, it
is the most thorough, profound, and beautiful review I have received
out of
over 10 editorial reviews I have received within the last 2 months,
including,
Chanticleer, IndieReader, U.S. Review of Books, Online Book Club, etc.
Almost
all of these reviewing companies gave the book a perfect rating, but
truly, Ms.
Donovan’s review is the most valuable & special for me, and
thus it will be
the PRIMARY editorial review, I will be quoting on my book’s
Amazon site,
Goodreads, Apple iBooks, as well as on all future book and promotional
sites."
Lennie
DeCerce, Atmosphere Press: "I
just wanted
to take a moment and gush about the work Diane Donovan does with book
reviews!!
I've never read reviews like hers -- she takes such time and such care
with
them!! I know any time she is reviewing a book that she will consider
the
author and the audience and that just doesn't happen. She is absolutely
phenomenal!"
Bill
Cotter Sr, Author, A Collection of US Army Unit Crests: "Ms
Donovan
informed me on the many steps involved with reviewing a book and kept
me
informed on the process along the way. The due date for her draft
review to me
was the 10th of May. To my amazement, she finished early and sent me my
draft
review early. I'm overwhelming happy with her
review. Having buyers
write small reviews on what they thought of my book is one thing, but
having a
professional like Ms Donovan say even better things about my book is
heartwarming and humbly. Being a new author, I'm
blushing over the review. Ms
Donovan's words are well written and covered my entire book."
Charlotte
Stuart, Author, Shopping Can Be Deadly and President, Puget
Sound Sisters in Crime: "Just
wanted to let you know how
pleased I was with Diane Donovan's review of my book Shopping Can Be
Deadly (A
Discount Detective Mystery #3). I was pleased not
just because she
said she liked my book, but because she clearly and thoroughly
explained the
essence of the multilayered themes I tried to capture. I believe anyone
reading
the review will know what to expect from my mystery.
And I
appreciate that."
Joel E. Lorentzen, Author, Proles: "Ms. Donovan provided a review of my recently-published book Proles. Based on my experiences thus far, I feel compelled to share that I was highly satisfied with her work, as well as her professional approach. Regarding the review, she accurately captured the essence of the book and, while critical in spots, her review classified the genre and target audience more clearly than I had on my own. More importantly, immediately upon engaging her, she let me know exactly what to expect – then exceeded each of those expectations. My experience with most reviewers is the opposite. Ms. Donovan will be my first call for my next book."
Sophia
Wilhelm, Marketing Specialist,
Mascot Books: "Diane
Donovan has
written many reviews for us in the past few months and we are delighted
with
her work! She is responsive, kind, and overall easy to work
with! Her
reviews are also thoughtful, honest, and beautifully written."
Manny
Williams, Author, Listen
Mama: "I
was extremely pleased by
the professionalism, attentiveness, and communication skills throughout
this
process by Diane Donovan. I had no idea what to expect going in as this
is my
first book, and was surprised at how seamless she made the process
seem. She
just delivered a draft of my review and it caught me by surprise with
how she
really seemed to get what I was going for with the book, and explained
it in an
effortless way that I really believe will intrigue potential readers."
Margaret
Porter, Author, The Limits
of Limelight: "I've
received many
reviews over the course of my career, but few have provided as thorough
and
accurate an assessment of my story as the one for Midwest
Book Review. I
am, of course, pleased that it is so positive, but what I appreciate
just as
much is the reviewer's effort to provide a prospective reader with an
array of
information about the book, without revealing excess detail or
spoilers.
As a book reviewer myself, I know the time and effort involved to
produce a
quality review. And I am very appreciative of Diane's abilities, and
the
quality of her writing."
James
Sulzer, Author, Writ in
Winter: "I
wanted to tell you how
satisfying an experience it was to work with Diane Donovan as she
reviewed my
novel on John Keats, WRIT IN WATER.
From
the first contact, she made it easy to process the modest payment and
gave me
clear instructions on submission.
Her
review itself showed a real knowledge of the subject, a sense of
literary form,
and a masterful ability to marshal facts and reactions in the context
of a
well-modulated narrative review. Though it was a positive review, I
have the
sense that her reactions were honest and clear, and that she would have
been
willing to express reservations about the novel had she felt they were
warranted. In other words, I sensed the work of a reviewer with skill
and
integrity."
Bonné
Bartron, Author, Whispers: An
American Legend: "I
am the author of
Whispers An American Legend, which was reviewed by Diane Donovan. I
wanted to
take a moment to send you a note to express my gratitude for such a
beautifully
written review. I bought a review from Kirkus that was NOWHERE near as
well
thought-out, well digested or evening close to as well written as what
Diane
produced in about three months shorter time.
Diane was extremely professional every step of the way,
and I can not
say enough about how impressed I was with her."
Rowan
Leo, Account Manager, 8ThirtyFour: "My
name is Rowan, and I'm the Account Manager at
8THIRTYFOUR. Our team recently had the pleasure of working with Diane
Donovan
to organize a review for Incentives: The Holy Water of Free
Enterprise by
our client, George Franklin. I just wanted to reach out to
you and let
you know Diane was wonderful to work with, and she wrote a stellar
review for
George. In all of her interactions with our team, Diane was responsive,
attentive, and personable."
Pat
Jurgens, Author, Falling
Forward, a Woman's Journey West: "As
an author, I found her review thorough, thoughtful, and fair.
It was
positive without overblown superlatives, and brought out universal
themes in
the historical narrative. This will appeal to a wide range of readers.
She was
also easy to work with, responding quickly and in a timely manner."
Sharon
Hoisager, Author, The
Cornmarket Conspiracy: "Diane
was
so professional, efficient, and delivered her review in exactly the
timeframe
she had promised. What’s more, I was pleased that while my
novel enjoyed
a terrific review, she captured some of the more nuanced plot points
that some
other early readers have missed. All in all, I am so happy
with my review
and am looking forward to using it in some of my book’s marketing
materials."
Marianne
Pestana, Literary Publicist
& Consultant: "I
wanted to reach out
to you to let you know how amazing our experience with Diane was!
She was
very professional, assisted us with finding the perfect time for our
client’s
review, and was extremely timely in delivering her well thought out,
and insightful
comments. It was easy to see that she not only read our
client’s book,
but really understood the genre, which is something we don’t always
find.
She is a jewel, and we look forward to working with her in
the
future!"
Sunny
Lockwood, Author, Cruising from Boston to Montreal: "I
recently asked her to review our new book, and she was equally easy to
work with, and gave us a rich review. One of the sentences in her
review was good enough to make it on the front cover of our book. We
work with a number of editorial reviewers and are especially pleased
with Ms. Donovan's ability to capture the essence of our work."
Cam Lang,
Author, The Concrete Vineyard: "I
am very pleased with the content and quality of the review itself. I
felt Diane captured the essence and depth of my novel without focusing
on a regurgitation of the plot. So far, this was the only
review
delivered ahead of schedule."
Steven
Grant, Author, Late, Late in the Evening: "The
review was completed at lightning speed in comparison to other
organisations offering a similar service. I also felt the review itself
identified exactly what I had been trying to achieve with the book, and
offered a fair and insightful consideration of the content."
Helena P.
Schrader, Author, Where Eagles Never Fly: "I
have received an excellent review from Diane Donovan. What impressed me
most was that Diane was very clear about when the review would be ready
and when it would be published. She delivered ahead of schedule.
Obviously, I’m delighted that she also liked my book, but unlike too
many “reader reviews” she provided reasons for her assessment and
highlighted features of the book. I believe her review will encourage
some readers who might otherwise not have been interested in a book
about a “Battle” (the Battle of Britain) to take a look at my book. I
greatly appreciate that."
Sherman
Miles, Author, Freedom Sex and a Meat Cleaver: "Diane
Donovan did an amazing review! I have to admit, that at first, I was a
little hesitant since the book is geared more towards the male reader
so I really didn’t know how she might react. The review was not only
thorough but she elegantly captured the essence of my writing. Very
insightful. "
David P.
Madden, Author, The Constitution and American Racism: "Diane
was thorough and prompt, and wrote an excellent review of my book. She
captured the book's narrative and described its thesis clearly. Her
review was well written and designed to invite readers to pick up the
book and read it. She did an outstanding job and the review will help
in the sale of the book. I am very grateful. What an asset she is. "
James
Hockenberry, Author, Send the Word: "Diane
was fair and balanced in her comments, and her review clearly showed
that she did her homework and invested the time to understand the book
and its characters. Her review summarizes the book clearly and
concisely and will be helpful to perspective readers. She was always
professional - she said up-front what and when she would do things and
did them just as she said she would do. She was always positive and
respectful and a pleasure to work with. "
Scott G.
Hibbard, Author, Beyond the Rio Gila: "Diane
did a very good job and was great to work with. Her review comments
were incisive, summed up the book well, pointed out highlights of the
book, and should be useful to readers. She was timely, responsive, and
clearly vested in her work. She’s a pro."
Cameron Finch, Atmosphere Press: "The staff and authors at Atmosphere have been so impressed by Diane's reviews. No matter the genre, she is able to draw details from a book that really lure a reader in. Her reviews have a warm, positive tone that encourages both readers and authors. She highlights each author's unique skills and triumphs and intentions in a way that I have not seen very often in reviews. I wish more reviewers read and wrote like Diane. "
D. Lieber, Author, The Treason of Robyn Hood: "Although all authors are pleased to get a good review, it is rare that someone truly gets what we are trying to say. It was clear from her review, that Diane had really paid attention and thought carefully about all the themes, context, and undertones of my work (The Treason of Robyn Hood). And there is nothing I appreciate more. "
Oby Aligwekwe, Author, The Place Beyond Her Dreams: "I received the review for my book, The Place Beyond Her Dreams, done by Diane Donovan and wanted say thank you so much for this detailed and thoughtful review.
Like I expressed to Diane, I didn't find anything that needed to be changed as everything was accurate. Her review even provided detailed insight into the story. She also offered ways to give further exposure to my book, which I found of great value. I'll be using the results of this review on Netgalley, Amazon, social media, marketing, etc. "
P. David Temple, Author, Five Times Lucky: "In addition to it being a very positive take on my book, Diane's review is also a strong endorsement of my writing style. This is going to be an excellent promotional tool going forward. I have two book groups coming up and I have already found that Diane's review is creating excitement."
Harper Woods, Author, Privilege Secrets Book One: Seeds of Eden: "I could tell from Diane's review that she contemplated the social, political and religious topics and challenges raised in this fictional novel based on facts. I appreciated her take on them, and also her honest opinion on how the plot grabbed her attention."
Doug Congdon, Author, Above Sea Level: "Diane Donovan sent me her review of my novel, Above Sea Level, earlier this week. It was fair, accurate and well-written. I intend to post it on the Amazon detail page for the book in the next few days.
Diane was quick to write me after she was assigned the review. And quick to acknowledge the receipt of the book and to provide the schedule for reviewing it and publishing the review. And she delivered the review before the date she gave me. I couldn’t be more pleased with her services."
Deborah Fox, Author, The Man Who Beat Death Valley: "I just wanted to write to let you know how pleased I was with Diane Donovan's review of my graphic novel, The Man Who Beat Death Valley.
I was happy with how she saw my work, evaluating it not just on its visual appeal, but how words and sound effects brought to mind an auditory appeal. Her point of view was thorough and original and Diane summed up the piece in a way that gave it excitement."
Dr. Barbara Koltuska-Haskin, Author, How My Brain Works: "This is the best editorial review I have received. It is comprehensive, thoughtful, kind and really very nice. Thank you for noticing the “lively tone”. Brain problems scary people and I wanted this book to be informative but also “on the sunny side of the street."
Wicked Run Press, for The Hobgoblin of Little Minds: "I just wanted to comment on how happy I am with the review i received from Diane Donovan on The Hobgoblin of Little Minds, and not because it was full of praise (that part was nice) but rather how thorough and well written it was. It was insightful and clearly took a deep dive into the book's content.
I compare this to the Kirkus review (my first time taking the expensive Kirkus plunge) and while it also offered praise, it was mostly a plot summary, with major elements of the plot completely miscomprehended, and it seemed they had not even read the book."
Ralph Webster, Author, The Other Mrs. Samson: "I just wanted to tell you how impressed I am with the professionalism of her work and the process she follows. As an "aspiring" author I have become accustomed to the types of reviews written on Goodreads, Amazon, and the like. What Diane has written stands far above that - a serious professional critique - one that is honest, balanced, fair, and complete."
Randall McNair, Poet, Make it a Double: "Diane was quick to reply to my queries and always let me know what to expect next. But, beyond just being a professional in a field that is often not, Diane showed a true interest in my book and its message, and that came through in her review. She actually read me, not just my work, and conveyed an understanding of what I was trying to do that no other reviewer to date has fully grasped—namely that I am writing for the down-but-not-quite-outer, the man on the brink of losing everything and, ultimately, for the disenfranchised male reader of poetry. She could easily have read my first poem, “Disclaimer,” or my “Ode to Tits” and closed the book. But she did not, and for that I am grateful."
More Accolades for 2020
David J. Andrae, Author, The Friends of Allan Renner: "This is the best review of the book yet. I really do appreciate you taking the time to read it and delving into its themes and nuances. Simply put, you nailed it! "
Keri-Rae Barnum, Publisher, New Shelves Books: "I’ve been working with Ms. Diane Donovan on several reviews and she is a joy to work with. Her communication is prompt and she is a professional in all she does. Further, her reviews show that she actually read the book – a “small” detail that is overlooked all too often. "
Mike Moore, Author, Tater Cat and the Missing Necklace: "Diane was a real pleasure to work with. Her review went beyond a simple "this was good" and really worked to explore some of the themes of the book and the parts that helped make it (in our opinion) unique and special. It was lovely to see those points called out so well. "
Sonia Frontera, Author, Relationship Solutions: "I couldn't be more pleased! Diane's review is comprehensive, well-written and insightful. It will be an asset, not only for my title, but for the people who will benefit from reading it. The review underscores the points that make this book different from the thousands of books on the subject."
Michael Duda, Author, Spectrum: Short Stories of Science Fiction, the Unusual and the Unpredictable: "Diane Donovan did a great job of reviewing my book, Spectrum: Short Stories of Science Fiction, the Unusual and the Unpredictable. Using a deft economy of words, she summarized my book and provided good insight into the nature of the work. On the book’s exterior are sci-fi and genre elements. Diane dug deeper and uncovered thematic elements that run throughout the story threads. I was impressed."
Kevin Abreau, Editor, Hunting Snipes +four: "We appreciate Diane Donovan’s prompt and professional review of our soon-to-be-released ‘Hunting Snipes +four’ by author David Martin Anderson. Diane nailed the details/style of the book collection and had some wonderful things to say about the author. She apparently has a gift for writing, herself, and the review was both succinct and insightful. Because of her review, I think any prospective reader will be better drawn to the book and we appreciate her luring praise."
John Hazen, Author, Beyond Revelation: "Diane’s review is insightful and brought out a couple facets that I hadn’t considered that will be extremely helpful to me as I move forward with promotion. In addition, the review was very prompt, which is always appreciated. "
Christian Fennell, Author, Fiddler in the Night: "In my experience, it is rare to find a reviewer that not only understands what the book is about, but also, offers valuable insight into the essence of the work. Diane Donovan is such a reviewer. She clearly took the time to read the work, and think it through. She then articulated this in her review in a clear and meaningful way. She was both professional, and insightful. In short, it was a pleasure to work with her. "
J. Cartales, Black Heron Press for Sex, A Love Story: "This note is to commend Diane Donovan on her review of our book, Sex, A Love Story. I am familiar with Ms. Donovan's work, as she has reviewed a number of our books over the years, in various venues. I have consistently been impressed with her close reading of the books she reviews and her thoughtfulness. So when I learned that she would be the reviewer for Sex, A Love Story, I was delighted. I didn't know whether or not she would like it, but I knew that she would be fair in her assessment. Please let her know of the esteem with which we regard her (even if she pans our next book). "
John Elie, Author, Try Moving Yourself: "I wanted to write to let you know how pleased I am with my professional book review experience for my first ever professional review. Diane Donovan did the review and it was timely and responsive. I appreciated being able to review the draft and make minor edits. I was also impressed and very pleased with her insightful review."
Debra Thro and Elisabeth Walter, Authors, Pay Less for College: The Must Have Guide to Affording Your Degree: "What a pleasure it was working with reviewer, Diane Donovan, concerning our book, Pay Less for College: The Must Have Guide to Affording Your Degree. This was a new experience for us and we appreciated how clearly and promptly she explained the process on the front end. And, on the back end, when we received her review, we were very grateful for her keen, clear, well-written summation and insights regarding our material, particularly considering the subject matter. "
John Kerwin, Author, Talk Big: "I wanted to express how happy I am with the entire experience of submitting my book for review. Naturally I'm happy and grateful that it was positive. However, I believe it's important to point out that the work was handled in a highly professional and prompt manner. There wasn't one hiccup. And that's due to Diane Donovan. Diane is that rare combination of someone who is precise, professional, yet at the same time, pleasant and nice...Considering her years working with you, I'm sure that you're aware of that. Hopefully this serves as a reminder. For a first time author, this review has given me confidence."
Ann Campanella, Author, Celiac Mom: "Diane Donovan was extremely professional, apprising me of timelines, letting me know exactly what to expect and when, and she delivered! I was impressed and grateful for her beautifully written review. It was thorough and thoughtful. She clearly took the time to gain a deep understanding of Celiac Mom, and her writing was accurate, descriptive and polished. "
Valerie
Luhman Anderson,
Author, Donald J. Trump's Imperial Presidency EXPOSED through
Rhyme: "Diane
responded to all emails, and I had great confidence she would give me
a comprehensive and thoughtful review. The draft review she
sent did indeed reflect the intent of my book. And I was most
grateful to be given the chance to make suggestions/changes to her
review, showing she wanted me to be satisfied with the end
result.
I have a lot of respect for her for this.
Allowing me to contribute was most gratifying, and I did make some clarifications that were incorporated into her final draft. We both had a mutual goal of a review that would work for both of us. I was always aware that she was focused on maintaining high standards. But she was very open to my changes, which she felt adhered to the original intent and spirit of her review.
I heartily recommend Diane as someone who is sensitive to the author while upholding her own high standards for reviewing books. My overall experience with her was excellent! "
Jennifer G. Edelson, Author, Between Wild and Ruin and Wild Open Faces: "I just received my second book review — the first was for 'Between Wild and Ruin,' the second for 'Wild Open Faces' (both part of a series) — from Diane Donovan, and just wanted to tell you how lovely and professional Diane is and how much I've appreciated her work and reviews. I've received reviews from places like Kirkus and Clarion, to name just a few, and have actually wondered at times if the reviewer even bothered to read the book they reviewed (even when it's a great review), plus they often take forever. Diane's reviews, however, make it clear she not only reads my books but reads with an attention to nuances and detail, and really cares and pays attention to what she's writing. Diane is also quick to respond, communicative, and reliable — when she says she'll have something by a certain date, she does! — and I really, really appreciate that."
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:
-
How to submit a book for review by mail or ebook
-
Acknowledgement that she received my book
-
How to pay for the speedy review
-
Planned timeline for review completion and pub dates
-
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."