Blog and Review Policies

Read Love is a personal blog written and edited by me, Dawn.  My reviews are strictly my own, and unless otherwise noted, are CDs, DVDs, and books from my personal library.  My reviews and assessments are based solely on my opinion.

I am not paid for or otherwise compensated for my reviews, but may occasionally receive books or other products from companies or publishers in exchange for my honest evaluation.  Products received will never influence the content, topics, or posts on Read Love.

Note to Authors and Publishers:

I am currently accepting books, CDs, and book-related DVDs for review.

Reading Preferences: 

I read children's literature (all ages, but mostly middle grade or older readers), Young Adult literature, and adult fiction.  Though less frequently, I also read adult non-fiction.

Fiction Genres I enjoy:
  • Adventure
  • Classics
  • Christian 
  • Dystopian
  • Fairy Tales/Folklore
  • Fantasy
  • Gothic
  • Historical Fiction (I especially love Victorian and Gothic.)
  • Mystery (I love female sleuths and prefer cozy or clean material.)
  • Paranormal/Supernatural
  • Sci-Fi
  • Steampunk   

Non-Fiction Genres I enjoy:
  • Biography/Memoir/Letters
  • Christian Living/Religious
  • History (I like American/British History, Civil War, WWI, WWII, and am open to other eras, but prefer to read about times gone by rather than about current events.)

Genres/Book Types I do not read and will not accept:
  • Erotica
  • RPG/Dungeons and Dragons/etc.
  • Manga/Anime
  • Books written entirely in free verse
  • Romance (other than clean Christian romance or Teen paranormal)
  • Self-Published books
  • Anything with gratuitous or graphic language, violence, sex, etc.

Please be aware that if a book is part of a series, I will be unable to review it fairly and accurately unless I have read the series from the beginning.  I believe in starting with book one and reading sequentially.  Therefore, if you'd like me to review a later book in a series, please email me first to find out if I have read the earlier titles (or provide them if possible).

Formats Accepted: 
  • Finished copies
  • ARCs
  • Epubs (I own a Nook.)
  • Netgalleys

 CD/DVD Preferences:

I listen to all genres except rap and heavy-metal.  I have a strong preference for Christian, Country, and Pop music that is clean and positive. I neither listen to nor buy music that has warning labels for explicit content.

I don't watch a lot of television or movies, but I would be interested in reviewing films based on books.

Time Frames and Other Policies:

All materials will be reviewed in a timely manner.  I will attempt to post a review within four to six weeks after receiving a request.  If you would prefer that a review not be posted too far in advance of a publication date, please specify your preferred time frame.

I cross-post all my book reviews to Good Reads.  I believe in reading a book carefully and I will not post a review if I did not read the entire book. I rarely give up on a book, but might put it down in favor of something else and return to it at a later date. Nevertheless, the review will get done on time.

I will always give my honest opinion and strive to write spoiler-free reviews that are balanced, fair, and as detailed as possible (without giving too much away).  I  rate books on a whole-numbered scale of  1-5.  If I give a rating of less than 3 stars, I will explain why in a considerate, even-handed manner.  I do not believe in trashing a book or saying only, "I hated it.  It was awful."  Instead, I will mention its strengths and weaknesses, and wherever possible, I will support my opinions with quotes or examples from the text.

I will not sell any items received for review, but I reserve the right to hold a Giveaway, to pass an item along to a friend, or to donate it to my local library.

Please contact me at dawn.readlove@ymail.com.