Tag Archives: book reviews

March 25, 2026 · 3:15 pm

A New Review for My New Book!

The first review is in for my latest, ADVERSE REACTIONS: A Novel of the Paranormal, and it’s a five-star gem! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ UK reader Alex Longbow shared this on Amazon:

5.0 out of 5 stars
Another brilliant book from Deborah J Lightfoot!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 20, 2026
Format: Kindle
Verified Purchase

Deborah J Lightfoot’s work is always a must read for me, and I have hugely enjoyed every one of her previous books. These have all taken place in her world of Ladhredin, a world that has become very real to me through the pages of her books. This new work, Adverse Reactions is a new departure for her, and an entirely new world is introduced to the reader. I was at once excited and intrigued by this, keen to see where Lightfoot would take me next. It’s fair to say that the world she creates is very different to Ladhredin, with magic playing no explicit part. Instead, paranormal ability takes the place of magic and lies at the core of the book. World building is skilfully managed, with the history, the land and the people introduced on a ‘need to know’ basis, so that the world is brought to us incrementally as the pages turn. I found this to be a very satisfying approach, and one which certainly engaged my interest throughout.

Our main protagonist, Devin, is herself in a process of self-discovery, which proceeds alongside this gradual revelation of the world she lives in. I found her story to be fascinating, her discovery of her own abilities and the revelation of her life history most engaging. In order to discover her true self she negotiates a precarious and engrossing path amongst characters who will variously support or challenge her as the story progresses. Devin has suffered terrible injustices and the manner in which she addresses these through the use of her developing paranormal powers is highly satisfying to the reader.

There is an exceptionally strong cast of characters in Adverse Reactions. The wholesome purity of some key relationships is balanced by Devin’s dealings with some very complex individuals, ones whom the reader is kept wondering whether they truly represent enemy or ally. In summary, Adverse Reactions is a thoroughly engrossing read, that offers some hints that there may be more to come from this context. I hope there is!

Thank you so much, Alex! 💙 I’m enormously grateful for your kind words and fabulous review. 🎉

~~~

To Learn More

Pre-publication reviews are excerpted here:
New Release: ADVERSE REACTIONS
A Bookish Striptease: Cover Reveal
ADVERSE REACTIONS: “Immediately immersive and thematically rich”
My Goodreads “Review” of ADVERSE REACTIONS
Book Launch To-Do List

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Filed under Books and Readers, Discoverability, On Writing

Tagged as book discovery, book reviews, five-star books

February 15, 2026 · 2:32 pm

A Bookish Striptease: Cover Reveal

Now that I have a cover for my new book, I can do a cover reveal. Which will have to be on Bookstagram and here on my scattershot little blog since everybody in my personal Facebook world has already seen the whole cover uncovered, along with every draft of the surprisingly difficult process (beginning unsatisfactorily with one designer and ending, much more happily, at a completely different studio) that led to a usable image. Long ago, I learned a maxim, and life continues to prove its truth: Things take longer than they do.

Do you find these teasers intriguing? I would really love for people to read this book. Adverse Reactions is the only true standalone novel I’ve ever written. It began life in 2005 with a 24,000-word partial manuscript that stayed in a file cabinet for 20 years. But the story never let go of me, and finally I’d lived enough life and learned enough craft and gained enough understanding of people to finish what I’d started.

*The short blurb:

In the town of Purity, mental gifts earn you a bullet or a lingering death by mind-torture. Devin Perridin is the Syke who survived the horrors of the psych ward. Now the “One Who Got Away” is back for a reckoning. To defeat her tormentors, Devin must reclaim her shattered mind, aided by a denim-clad desperado and a generous helping of Old Magic. Survival was just the beginning: vengeance is next.

*The back cover copy:

In the remote prairie town of Purity, there are some who possess extraordinary powers of the mind. Their fate, if they are discovered, is death by a bullet to the brain. The wealthy, however, have an alternative way to die: they may submit to “therapy”—torture—at the Peaceful Hills sanatorium. For most of the inmates, it is a worse death than a sniper’s bullet. The asylum is brutally designed to snuff out every spark of psychokinetic power, turning a Syke’s brain to mush. Few inmates survive.

Devin Perridin does. She’s the One Who Got Away. But can she find her way back into her right mind? And bring a long-overdue reckoning to the town of Purity and its house of horrors? To exact vengeance on those who put her in the asylum, and avenge the murders of her fellow Sykes, Devin will need the aid of a denim-clad desperado—and a generous helping of Old Magic.

Release date: March 18

*From a professional evaluation: “Its accessible style of prose and teenaged protagonist would likely endear it to young adults, whereas its mature themes and technical accomplishments would likely go a long way with older readers. Because of the book’s literary merit it could definitely attract readers who would not normally consider themselves ‘genre readers.'” —The Black List on the subject of the book’s “Prospects”

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Tagged as book discovery, book reviews, cover design

January 11, 2026 · 3:15 pm

ADVERSE REACTIONS: “Immediately immersive and thematically rich”

Today I received some personal good news that I NEEDED! An evaluation score of 8 from an industry professional at The Black List!

To explain my thrillment, I must first explain The Black List. It’s a “prominent online platform where screenwriters, playwrights, and novelists connect with film, TV, and publishing industry professionals, allowing writers to host scripts/manuscripts, get feedback from vetted readers, and gain exposure to agents, managers, and producers, originally stemming from an annual survey of best unproduced screenplays and now a major hub for discovering new talent and projects. It helps writers get their work seen by industry insiders, offering services like professional evaluations.”

I requested an evaluation of my latest novel, the not-yet-published ADVERSE REACTIONS, and got a glowing response. “Congratulations on your recent evaluation by our reader,” said the email. “Fewer than 5% of the projects hosted on the site have received an overall score of 8 or above.”

The publishing industry professional who reviewed my book gave it an overall score of 8 (out of 10) and posted this:

Strengths

“This novel is immediately immersive, with an opening scene that sucks readers in with vivid sensory detail and a great sense of suspense. In fact, the sensory detail of the book’s prose is one of its strongest qualities … Adverse Reactions is also thematically rich, as Devin faces constant self-doubt but comes to find empowerment in the unique abilities that have made her an outcast. In some ways, the book feels like an extended metaphor about how mental illness is treated in today’s world and what it means to embrace one’s neurodivergence. There is also compelling thematic commentary on modern psychiatric practices and treatment methods, with the author skillfully exploring the negative consequences of supposedly ‘getting well.’ … This novel has few weaknesses.”

Wow! THAT is the sort of reaction that restores my faith in … well, in myself. I have agonized over this book. I started it in 2005; wrote a rough 24,000 words, then shelved it for 20 years; finally “finished” it in 2026.

Now I wait to see if any publisher or filmmaker shows interest in the book. The Black List is sending my work out for additional evaluations, and if the overall score remains at 8 or above, the book will get featured (top-listed) where more industry pros will see it. I’m not getting my hopes up, but this validation of my writing was a great thing to come home to, on the heels of my grocery run this morning.

Prospects

The professional reader’s evaluation closed with an analysis of the book’s prospects. I’m both excited and frustrated by the evaluator’s conclusion:

“Adverse Reactions would likely perform quite well among adults and young adults alike. Its accessible style of prose and teenaged protagonist would likely endear it to younger readers, whereas its mature themes and technical accomplishments would likely go a long way with older readers. It would certainly make sense to at least start by marketing the book to pre-existing fans of supernatural/fantasy books, perhaps at special conferences or bookstores that cater to these genres; however, because of the book’s literary merit it could definitely attract readers who would not normally consider themselves ‘genre readers.’ For this reason, it would be important to make sure the book receives coverage from reputable book-related publications and/or prominent figures in the literary community.”

Well, OK. I can certainly market the book to pre-existing fans of supernatural/fantasy books, most especially the loyal readers of my Waterspell series. If I self-publish, I might be able to get it into bookstores and possibly hand-sell it at conventions and the like. But how in the world do I get coverage from reputable book-related publications or prominent figures in the literary community? If I had those kinds of insider connections, I’d be enjoying a great deal more financial success in my writing career. It goes back to who you know, and I don’t know many people. I’m an introvert and a bit of recluse. <sigh>

But all of that aside, I’m absolutely delighted to get an enthusiastic evaluation from a publishing industry professional. I long ago gave up submitting my work to agents and editors, who take forever to respond, if they deign to respond at all. The Black List removes the tedium of old-fashioned manuscript submission. Their roster of professional readers will respond in one week, or within three weeks at the latest. It’s not free, nor especially cheap. Evaluations cost $150. But Guild members (Writers Guild of America or The Authors Guild) get a substantial discount. I’ve belonged to The Authors Guild since 1995, and thus I paid $120 for the pro evaluation. And because it scored an 8, The Black List is giving me two additional reviews for free! That’s a pretty great deal.

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Tagged as black list, book discovery, book reviews, fantasy, marketing

December 19, 2025 · 4:41 pm

When AI Describes Your Book Better Than You Do

A recent email informed me that somebody who reviewed my Waterspell boxed set at NetGalley had updated their review, more than a year later. Curious to see what had changed, I Googled “NetGalley Waterspell books,” thinking that would be the quickest way to find a web page that I had not looked at in more than a year.

What came up, to my fascinated delight, was a lengthy Google AI Overview of my little publishing empire. I copy-pasted the overview, wanting to save it and, frankly, learn from it. As much as I detest all AI-generated books (a novel should be written by a human, and ONLY by a human), there’s no denying that AI can often do a better job than the author, when it comes to summarizing a book.

For a writer, no question holds more terror the inevitable, “What’s your book about?” We are too close to our own work. We know the nuances. We know that a book is “about” a lot of things. There are subplots, themes, side-quests. Knowing what we know, it’s very difficult for most of us to give a succinct response to the “What’s it about?” question.

Therefore, when AI offers me its take on the matter, for free, I won’t turn up my nose at the help. Here’s how Google’s AI Overview responded to my rather lazy “NetGalley Waterspell books” search query:

“Highlighting the series’ immersive quality and addictive nature”

NetGalley hosts digital review copies for Waterspell, an immersive, cross-genre fantasy series by Deborah J. Lightfoot, featuring the core quartet (The Warlock, The Wysard, The Wisewoman, The Witch) and sequels like The Karenina Chronicles, praised by reviewers for its world-building, characters, magic, and romance. The series is designed to be read in order, following a continuous story, and offers boxed sets for convenience on platforms like NetGalley for reviewers.

Key Aspects of the Waterspell Series:

Genre: Epic Fantasy with elements of mystery, adventure, slow-burn romance, and dystopian undertones.
Story: A multi-generational saga focusing on family, magic, self-discovery, and overcoming danger in a richly detailed world. (Italics added by me. I like this.)
Characters: Compelling, complex, and morally gray characters, with main protagonists Carin and Verek central to the original quartet.
Structure: Originally a trilogy, it expanded to a four-book series (Books 1-4) and continues with linked sequels.
Readability: Intended to be read in order as one continuous story, though the sequels offer deeper dives into new characters like Nina.

How it Relates to NetGalley:

Review Copies: Publishers (like the one for Waterspell) use NetGalley to offer free digital advance reader copies (ARCs) to book reviewers, bloggers, and industry professionals to generate early buzz.
Reviewer Feedback: NetGalley hosts reviews from readers who have received these copies, with comments highlighting the series’ immersive quality and addictive nature.

Where to Find It:

Official Site: waterspell.net for author info, series details, and sales.
Retailers: Available as ebooks, audiobooks, and print on major platforms (Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, etc.).
Boxed Sets: Convenient bundles for the first four books are available, often through books2read.com/WaterspellBoxedSet.

Thank You Kindly!

My original reason for googling “NetGalley Waterspell books” fell by the wayside — I did not find out what “updates” the reviewer had made, more than a year after the fact. But never mind that: I got something useful out of the search. Thanks, AI summarizer!

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Filed under Audiobooks, Books and Readers, Discoverability

Tagged as book discovery, book reviews

August 30, 2025 · 9:30 am

Are You an Ideal Reader?

I recently attended a webinar on “How & Where to Find Your Readers,” presented to Authors Guild members by Andrea Guevara of Author Brand Strength. Participants were tasked with creating a profile of their Ideal Reader.

I drew a blank. Every novel I’ve written, I wrote for myself. For my four early books of nonfiction, I had my target audiences firmly in mind. I knew what kind of reader each book might appeal to.

But when I gave myself permission to write what I really wanted to write—fantasy—I wrote solely for myself. The books reflect my interests, my influences and motivations, and my literary tastes.

My Ideal Readers

As I continued to ponder the question of “Who is my ideal reader?” my thoughts turned to some of the astonishingly insightful reviews that readers have given my novels. The readers who truly get it, who understand my characters, their flaws, emotions and relationships, are not easily labeled or categorized. They do not fall neatly into standard groups such as “fantasy readers,” “romance readers,” or fans of dystopian fiction.

In an effort to discover what my best readers have in common, I’ve created brief profiles for six who gave my books outstanding reviews:

1. Feifei Le (Lady Vigilante) of Austin, Texas, was among my earliest readers and most enthusiastic reviewers. Her Goodreads profile lists her favorite books as: “Any book as long as there’s romance in it, but I do gravitate towards dark romance and romantic suspense. I will occasionally read a YA paranormal/fantasy book that tickles my fancy.”

2. Ariel The Tempest of Greece describes herself as “an avid reader with a strong passion for engaging storytelling, particularly in the genres of fantasy, romance, science fiction, novellas, short stories, YA, and new adult fiction.” She recently posted glowing reviews of my Waterspell novels (links below).

3. Nancy M. Heinzel of California is an eclectic mystery. This reader is a frequent reviewer, on Amazon, of everything from horror and thrillers to literary fiction and turkey-hunting stories. I do detect a preference, perhaps, for dystopian fantasy among the many reviews showing on their Amazon profile.

4. Dalton S., a reviewer at NetGalley, is a great reviewer but stingy with stars. After declaring that “Waterspell (Books 1-4) is a must-read for fantasy enthusiasts who enjoy immersive world-building, well-developed characters, and a storyline that seamlessly blends magic and human emotion” (hooray!), he gave the boxed set only three stars (boo-hoo).

5. Unlike Dalton at NetGalley, Robin at Audible is a generous reviewer. She gives five stars to pretty much everything she listens to. Her tastes seem to range from self-help and memoir, to thrillers and fantasy.

6. Malibu Moon (of California, I’m guessing) reads Apple Books, not Amazon. I know nothing of this person but love her for writing a rare Apple review (Apple customers are not as prone to reviewing as are readers on Kindle): “Thank you for writing this wonderfully imaginative series. I loved every minute of it!!!” And I love you, my dear.

What Have I Learned?

What am I to make of this sampling? I have readers in California and Texas, and also Oregon, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and New Mexico that I know of. I assume I have readers in other states as well. (Comment below, please, if you’re among them!) Beyond the U.S., I know I have readers in Canada, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and Germany, and I recently saw sales in Japan.

What do these readers want, besides good writing? Many of them gravitate toward fantasy, but then there’s Lynda Key, who wrote on Amazon: “I rarely read fantasy anymore preferring historical fiction of the Roman kind. The last fantasy I read that was memorable was by Tolkien. That was until I found the first Waterspell book in my large ‘to be read’ pile.” Lynda gave the series five stars and says: “I couldn’t help myself. I kept buying and immediately reading each consecutive book.”

An ideal reader, indeed!

After spending three hours trying to profile my ideal readers, I’m no wiser than I was. They’re all over the place, not only geographically but in their reading habits.

At this point in my writing life (I’ve been publishing under my Deborah J. Lightfoot byline since my first newspaper story was printed in 1977) I believe there’s only one thing to do:

I’ll keep writing for myself. I’ll write the kinds of books I want to read.

One actionable thing I did get from the “Find Your Readers” webinar, however, was a reminder to research comp titles. I’d undoubtedly do a better job of describing my books, and thus reaching more of my ideal readers, if I had a better grasp of the currently popular books that are somewhat comparable to mine.

Like every writer, though (well, those writers who pride themselves on not “writing to a trend” or writing “more of the same, just different”), I do like to think that my series is unique and not easily lumped in with other books in the fantasy genre. That’s what I like to think, anyway.

Ariel The Tempest’s Reviews

Now for the links to Ariel The Tempest’s recent reviews of my books on Goodreads. She made my YEAR with her kind, understanding, well-thought-out words. If you’re on Goodreads, please give these reviews a Like to help boost their visibility:

Waterspell Book 1: The Warlock
Waterspell Book 2: The Wysard
Waterspell Book 3: The Wisewoman
Waterspell Book 4: The Witch
The Karenina Chronicles: A Waterspell Novel

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Tagged as book discovery, book reviews, marketing

November 3, 2023 · 11:55 am

Books 1-4 on NetGalley: November 2023

Available on NetGalley until December 1.

When the boxed set of Waterspell Books 1–4 came out in April 2022, I offered ARCs on NetGalley. Optimistically, I hoped for 40 or 50 reviews.

I got six.

Those six, however, were all highly positive. There’s also a chance that some of the readers who downloaded the ARC did eventually post a review somewhere else. At the very least, as I noted in my observations back then, I gained exposure in a much larger arena than Bookstagram and Facebook, and got my work in front of all sorts of industry professionals, including booksellers and librarians.

With the new book, The Karenina Chronicles, coming out soon (paperback November 17, ebook December 1), I decided to offer the original quartet on NetGalley once more. Of course I revised the epub file to include a teaser for the new book:

Continue the family saga! Follow the further adventures of eldest daughter Nina in The Karenina Chronicles.

In the first couple of days of the boxed set’s new availability on NetGalley, I’ve received 30 requests. I’ve denied a few of those, in cases where the requester seemed to have no interest in the fantasy genre, or showed a tendency to DNF books. I figured they wouldn’t likely read a boxed set of 1,200 pages in a genre they didn’t especially like. Mostly, however, I have accepted all comers. As somebody once said: For most writers, piracy isn’t the problem. Obscurity is the problem. With the wider distribution that NetGalley makes possible, I’m trying to become a little less obscure.

Once again, I’m using the Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, which enables me to “rent” a slot on NetGalley for one month for $50. Pretty cheap way to get reviews and exposure.

The Blessed Six

Fingers crossed that my return to NetGalley will bring in some additional reviews, to build on the strong foundation that my initial experiment produced. Looking back through those six lovely reviews, I must share excerpts:

“In this four-book saga, the author has created an epic fantasy world full of magic, danger, romance, and travel through time and space. This is a most enjoyable read for fans of fantasy and fine writing.” —Shirley

“A good choice for those that like fantasy. This has rich character and world building, and the elements of a good fantasy story.” —Paul

“An entertaining, fast paced, and well plotted fantasy series. Riveting. The world building is fascinating, and the characters fleshed out. Highly recommended.” —Librarian

“An addictive-to-read epic fantasy with drama and adventure. I binged through the books, eager to see how the story unfolds.” —Reviewer

“An extraordinary book, 4 in fact! I read these over a five-day period and found the storytelling fantastic.” —Reviewer

“A riveting series. Well written, excellent world-building with an engaging plot in each book and well developed characters. I was gripped right from the start with twists I didn’t see and unpredictability.” —Aria

Thank you all! 💙 🎉 Here’s hoping that my return to NetGalley will meet with as much success as my first time out, and maybe more.

If you’re a NetGalley member and would like a free copy of Waterspell, please snag it before the title is archived on December 1. The link: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/306678

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June 5, 2023 · 5:33 pm

Book Review: That Which the Deep Heart Knows by RJ Wheldrake

Review: That Which the Deep Heart Knows
by RJ Wheldrake
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is epic. Grand. Beautifully written, masterful in scope and execution, brimming with palace intrigues, murder and treachery, high-stakes conspiracies and closely guarded secrets amongst a large and intricately choreographed cast of memorable characters. The action is intense, complex but well-paced, allowing the reader to catch their breath along the way and hear the rain battering the roofs of country inns while thunder rattles the windows of remote castles. Settings and characters are presented with a remarkable degree of finely wrought detail, details that paint the total picture of place and time, so that the reader feels they are present in each scene over a vast landscape.

This book is the work of an experienced, accomplished, highly talented author. I give it an enthusiastic and appreciative 5 stars and recommend it highly to lovers of epic fantasy. I’m moving directly into the next book in the series (A Trick of the Light, second of Wheldrake’s Toxandrian Chronicles). I’m eager for more excellent writing and another sweeping tale of adventure, destiny, love and sacrifice.

Note: Contrary to my usual practice, I’m not including the book’s cover with this review because the cover — beautiful as it is — tends to suggest that the story is a romance. The young woman pictured on the cover is indeed a romantic figure, and she serves as the pivot around which the story turns. The cast of characters, however, is large and varied, with many among them who lodged themselves deeply into my heart and my sympathies. I cared for them, and the story’s end brought tears to my eyes. This is not a happily-ever-after tale. Some of the characters never find happiness, and even those who enjoy years of blissful togetherness are eventually at the mercy of the fates. Do not, therefore, judge this book by its cover. It’s not the category romance that one might expect from casting a quick glance at the beautiful girl in the purple dress.

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Tagged as book reviews, epic fantasy, fantasy

January 13, 2023 · 1:26 pm

Book Review: Hearts of Ice and Stone by Martin Dukes

Review: Hearts of Ice and Stone
by Martin Dukes
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book description: Laura never realised she was different, or that she was touched in some way by the heavens, until she first set foot, contrary to all law and tradition, within the portals of Darkharrow. Here, in the remote Eastings of Britannia, far from the wealth and the power of London, the dead lie sleeping beneath the ancient towers and cloisters of the great abbey. For some, destiny dictates that their long slumber shall endure until the last trump sounds and all the dead shall rise from their graves, but for some the care of the Camalodolite Order shall reawaken them long before that day. No one has ever been able to look upon the countenances of the departed and tell whether they may be awakened, whether their hearts are of ice or of stone – until now.

Caught between the competing affections of those who love her, threatened by those who would destroy her, Laura finds herself enmeshed in a web of conspiracy that draws upon her deepest resources and enforces choices upon her that are of the most momentous kind.

My review: Dark, fascinating, original, and beautifully written

I love this book! It is utterly engrossing and kept me turning the pages late into the evening. I give it 10 stars for the original storytelling, masterful writing, fascinating characters, and a crisp, compelling plot that sweeps the reader into an ever-darkening story. The prose is elegant and perfectly matched to the story’s brooding, spooky, gothic aesthetic. Fans of Edgar Allan Poe and of Bronte’s Wuthering Heights will revel in this book. I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended. Take a chance on an author you might not know — you won’t be disappointed.

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Tagged as book discovery, book reviews, fantasy