NB I’m not accepting any additional books onto my review list for the foreseeable future.
See my Bedside Table for a list of recent reviews and what I’m currently reading.
Submissions
PLEASE NOTE: I have several sources of review books to choose from. Although I generally accept review requests from authors I’m already familiar with, as you’ll see from the top of the page, I am not accepting anything else for the foreseeable future. Having said that, if you feel you have the necessary strength of character to withstand a likely refusal, feel free to ask, but even if I agree to review, you’ll have a long wait.
Be sure you’re happy to have my honest opinion before requesting a review, since needless flattery and sycophancy are not my style.
If you would like to submit your book for review, you must follow these guidelines – failure to do so will result in your submission being ignored.
Be Warned!
If your book has multiple spelling mistakes, poor punctuation, is badly written or crammed with clichés – I might not get past the first chapter.
If your book starts off well, then turns to crap, I reserve the right not to finish it. In which case (obviously), no review.
Formats
I read ebooks and paperbacks. Although I’m a cash-strapped writer, I now buy every book I review, but if your book seems inordinately pricey, I probably won’t buy it.
I Will Read:
Mystery, Thriller and Suspense
Psychological/Horror
Historical
Contemporary
Young Adult
Children’s Books (now reviewed at Colin Garrow Books)
Crime/Legal
Fantasy – though I’m very choosy!
Short Stories
Stage Plays
Sci-Fi – think John Wyndham, PD James, Anthony Burgess, Jasper Fforde, Margaret Atwood.
Non-Fiction – various, though mainly crime-related (historic murder cases), as well as anything Victorian.
I Will NOT Read:
Romance
Erotica
Anything involving Werewolves, Zombies or Vampires (except my pal Jacky Dahlhaus, and Stephen King, obviously)
Anything overtly Religious
Anything overtly Homophobic, Racist or Misogynistic
I do occasionally make exceptions to the above, but not often.
Contact Me
Contact me via email at – hello (@) colingarrow.org – and in the body of your email (ie no attachments, except cover image), please include:
Title of book
Author or pen name
Approximate word/page count
Cover image to use in the review
The ‘blurb’ or teaser
Link to buy/download the book
Link(s) to the author’s website/blog
NB Please ensure books have sampling enabled – if I can’t access the first couple of pages, I won’t consider reviewing it.
Thank you
Wherever possible I will post reviews on my Blog, Goodreads and Amazon and (if applicable) Smashwords, Kobo etc.
I reply to all emails, though if times are tough it may take a while to get back to you. Unlike some reviewers, I will let you know if I want to review your book [NB this only applies to individual emails, not mass mailouts]. And finally, if I read your book but don’t write a review, I’ll tell you why. In this case, I won’t be surprised if I don’t hear from you again (criticism can be hard to take).
Affiliates
I no longer use affiliate links in book reviews, so if you click on review links I won’t earn a penny, but if one of my reviews inspires you to buy a book, then that’s great. After all, authors are nothing without book-buyers.
Colin Garrow 