About

Read a new review every day, Monday through Friday! The staff of the Williamsburg Regional Library in Virginia bring you short reviews of books, movies, and more!

Launched in April of 2007, Blogging for a Good Book is the newest facet of the Looking for a Good Book readers’ service. A different staff member picks favorite reviews for each different week. Subscribe to our RSS feed to find good reviews, or click on the categories on the righthand side to see everything in your favorite area.

We gently discourage authors from sending us copies of their books, because we cannot promise that our staff will read or review unsolicited materials. We find that the blog’s success depends on the reviewers’ being able to write freely about books of their own choosing.

We welcome comments on our site, though we reserve the right to edit or remove comments that are uncivil or abusive. And while we are always thrilled to hear from authors, we ask that you not use our site to promote your works. Discussing a book that we’ve blogged about is fine; self-promoting books that we haven’t endorsed is not.

80 Comments »

80 Responses

on October 15, 2007 at 8:17 pm | Reply bkclubcare

Gotta say… I love this blog! I’m sad (and encouraged?) that not too many leave comments (truthfully, I’m a very good lurker). Keep on! You are doing a wonderful job here.
on April 1, 2008 at 12:01 am | Reply renee crain

would someone please explain The Fig Eater to me
on May 29, 2008 at 11:53 am | Reply thyrkas

I enjoy the reviews from Blogging for a Good Book, and have emailed a number of them to friends. I look forward to reading them each day. Thank you for this wonderful service!
on May 29, 2008 at 11:57 am | Reply Barry

thyrkas,

Thanks for your kind words. We are delighted that you are enjoying the posts and sharing them. It’s the best way to build and support the community of readers. All the best.

Barry
on September 4, 2008 at 1:39 pm | Reply suzanne

Simple, clean design, great variety and excellent organization–I love reading the blog!
on September 21, 2008 at 8:06 am | Reply Dale Edmonds

I adore this blog! Stumbled across it by fortunate chance, and have been writing down reviews. I think it might have been through Unshelved, the library comic.
on September 21, 2008 at 8:22 am | Reply Barry

Thanks, Dale. We’re glad you enjoy the posts.

Barry
on December 8, 2008 at 11:54 am | Reply Bob Lund

I am still new to the library and recently decided to investigate this blog. The combination of on-going professional library staff reviews/input with patron comments is both new and seems like a powerful combination to me. I plan to try it out over the days and weeks ahead. I am quite open to advice & counsel on the best and/or most appropriate way to comment in this blog.
on December 8, 2008 at 12:14 pm | Reply Bob Lund

I am not sure if this is the right place or way but I’ll try. My wife called my attention to a new book “The Wise Advisor: What Every Professional Should Know About Consulting and Counseling” by Jeswald W. Salacuse. I see that it has a five star review on Amazon (included website) but only by one person. I was wondering if anyone reading this post has experience with or any impression of either this book or the author.
on December 8, 2008 at 12:52 pm | Reply Bob Lund

I like alternate history fiction by authors such as Eric Flint, S.M. Stirling, Harry Turtledove, the team of Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen, et.al. Thus, I would like to see reviews and patron comments about such books. I searched for their names but other than mention of them in reviews about books by other authors did not find any reviews about their works. Is there sufficient interest in this fiction niche to justify such reviews and a category for it?

Is there a way to comment on a category? It seems to me that such an ability would provide patrons with a more focused way to provide input on authors of interest and might generate broader patron discussion.

As far as I see, patrons can only comment in About and on individual reviewed books. If I am missing something, I would appreciate someone advising me on how to use this blog in a more effective way.
on December 17, 2008 at 11:51 pm | Reply Saraswathi

I stumbled on this site by accident while looking for a good book recommendations blog- this is exactly what I was looking for! This site has really interesting reviews and is extremely well-organized- I love the tag system. Thank you!
on December 18, 2008 at 8:25 am | Reply Barry

Saraswathi, thanks for the kind words. We are glad that you find the posts here interesting and useful. Happy reading.

Barry
on December 27, 2008 at 2:58 pm | Reply Mickey Burriss

May I send you a copy of a chapbook at no charge for consideration to be listed on your web listing? Thank You Mickey Burriss

I Wish I Was Hosey Hitchcock
                                            by Mickey Burriss
                        Overtime a publication of Blue Cubicle Press, LLC, Plano, Texas, 2007
                                                30 pages, $2.50 (paperback)

SYPONSIS:
The setting is a small South Carolina mill town during 1944, showing a boy and old loom fixer working at odd jobs.

Excerpt: Reviewed by William B. Kaliher:
            “In I Wish I Was Hosey Hitchcock the preteen Nicky takes the reader through his expanding world as he searches for work, independence and boyhood pleasures. Nicky, like the lucky among us, bumps into adults, true heroes, who incidentally teach the values that ensure a better life. Hosey is one such mentor.”

I have written for The State and Anderson Independent Mail news papers, Living in South Carolina, the magazine for electric cooperatives, Small Farmer’s Journal and HCI Books. My fiction has appeared in The First Line and Blue Cubicle Press. I writes full time and is a member of the South Carolina Writers Workshop, attending their critique groups and workshops. The Sandhills Writers Conference in Augusta, Georgia I also enjoy.
on December 29, 2008 at 12:52 pm | Reply Jessica

Mickey,

Thanks for visiting the site. You may send us your book, but I don’t want to mislead you. It is unlikely that we would review it. The traditional review journal model assigns titles to reviewers, but BFGB has a different purpose than Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, etc. We deliberately do not assign specific titles to our reviewers, instead letting them choose whatever materials they like, regardless of publication date, author, popularity, etc.
on January 20, 2009 at 5:58 am | Reply Mickey Burriss

Dear Jessica, Thank you for answering my request. If you will please give me your mailing address, I’ll send you a copy. Thank you , MIckey BUrriss
on March 11, 2009 at 4:23 pm | Reply A Few Good Blogs « The Reference Desk at TFPL

[…] Blogging for a Good Book – Run by the Williamsburg Regional Library in Virginia, the librarians here post a review a day. […]
on June 6, 2009 at 4:09 pm | Reply dborck

Your blog is wonderful. Thanks so much for the great book reviews. http://dborck.wordpress.com
on October 23, 2009 at 5:44 am | Reply JXL13

What I still fail to understand is a huge flurry at the end. ,
on November 24, 2009 at 5:23 pm | Reply Robyn Lass

Hi.
I’m the editor of BookBlips.com. I’m writing to let you know that Blogging for a Good Book is a hit with our readers. If you haven’t checked out our site yet you’ll see we’re dedicated to highlighting the best literature content on the web every day.

We’re currently contacting our most popular featured bloggers and asking them to claim their blogs. By doing so, you’re making it easier for thousands of new fans to quickly find your blog and read all your great posts.

To quickly and easily claim your blog click here: http://bookblips.dailyradar.com/blog.665/claim/

Once you’ve claimed your blog, you and your fans can then vote on each of your posts to ensure they’re featured the front pages of these sites. And just so you know, every post that’s featured on our front page gets moved up in the rankings on all the big search engines like Google, Yahoo, etc.

If you have any questions about BookBlips.com or the blog claim process please let me know. We’re always here to help and we’re anxious to send more fans your way.

Kind regards,
Robyn
on January 13, 2010 at 5:33 pm | Reply Ken

Love this website! Thanks for all the great reviews.

To all the readers of this site, check out a catchy, dark-humor blog I’ve been reading written by a school teacher:

http://www.madverseconditions.blogspot.com

Thanks!
on March 7, 2010 at 8:02 am | Reply Peter W Tobey

Congratulations. Your blog has been nominated for our Library Blog Awards. In fact, your blog was suggested more than once. We’re in the process of assembling information about all those nominated and will be sending a short questionaire, including the categories of awards and the judges involved. Would you please send me your email address so that I can send you the questionaire? If your email is on your blog, I couldn’t locate it.

Thanks in advance,
Peter W Tobey
ptobey@salempress.com
on September 29, 2010 at 10:06 am | Reply ted

Hi,

love the blog, but I’d like to subscribe via email instead of RSS feed. Will checking the box below do that?

If not, Feedburner has a widget that lets readers subscribe to a blog and then get an email of each new post. More info here: http://wordpress.jdwebdev.com/blog/feedburner-email/

Can you add it to your blog?

thanks very much
ted
- on September 29, 2010 at 4:45 pm | Reply Jessica
  
  Ted,
  
  Thanks for the great suggestion! You’ll see our new email-subscription link on the right-hand side, near the top.
on October 13, 2010 at 9:30 pm | Reply Tory

This is a great resource and I look forward to using it. FOR BOOK GROUPS – Check out my new Blog, “WILLIAMSBURG BOOK GROUPS BLOG”, at
http://vgussman.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/welcome-to-the-williamsburg-book-clubs-blog/
I look forward to seeing you there and chatting about how our book groups function, sharing ideas, and having fun!
- on October 14, 2010 at 10:41 am | Reply Barry
  
  Hi, Tory. I am glad that you like the blog. I hope that your Book Group blog will attract readers from our local book clubs. It could be a useful resource for book groups in the area.
on September 11, 2011 at 9:41 pm | Reply Michael Cow

Hi, I am Michael Cow. I am really appreciate toward your awesome blog. You gives me so great value by reviewing so many books. Good luck for you!
on April 9, 2012 at 10:07 pm | Reply Blogging for a Good Book as a Readers’ Advisory Blog « The Social Library

[…] and is popular enough across the web that a good deal of the comments on the “About” https://bfgb.wordpress.com/about/page are from authors soliciting reviews and other web services soliciting […]
on May 8, 2012 at 7:12 am | Reply lisanewman71

Inspiring Blog. I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. See the following link for more details: http://www.kmstoffel.wordpress.com
the blogger who nominated me :)
on July 13, 2012 at 4:32 am | Reply shahujvaln

Nice Blog… I always look for new books and truly speaking, I haven’t read any book which are reviewed on your blog since Jan 2012.

Keep Reviewing…
http://ujvalslounge.com
on July 14, 2012 at 12:25 am | Reply Ankur

Just the kind of blog,I was looking for, hoping for good reads!:-)
on July 14, 2012 at 11:02 am | Reply writinguntiltheveryend

Hi, great blog, i would like that you visit my blog, I´m trying to be a young writer, I have 16 books in project ;D I just started my blog yesterday at the night but I promise that it will get better, I will publish books of my propertie by chapters, etc,
sorry if my english is too bad but I´m from México
on July 23, 2012 at 2:42 am | Reply Grace

Great Blog!

I only have limited time to read books, but thank you for the reviews. It just cuts the time I spend looking for good reads.
on September 6, 2012 at 12:14 am | Reply margieinitaly

I just discovered your site and am really enjoying it!
- on September 6, 2012 at 11:35 am | Reply Barry
  
  Thanks!
on September 24, 2012 at 12:32 am | Reply thatgirlthatalwaysstickout

i love your blog so much
on October 11, 2012 at 3:12 pm | Reply heidi2012

Love your blog! I am a bookworm and love readings. As a visitor to local library, I highly recommend this website, which helps users borrow good books from library.
on October 12, 2012 at 8:08 am | Reply heidi2012

oops…I put the website in the wrong place….here it is. Aboutread.com
on November 23, 2012 at 1:17 pm | Reply Anonymous

LIKE
LOVE YOUR BLOG
on March 4, 2013 at 11:03 am | Reply ElleLainey

Hi, I’ve nominated you for The Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Just check out my site for details. – http://ellelainey.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/the-very-inspiring-blogger-award/
on March 25, 2013 at 6:32 pm | Reply Mr. Chris Viljoen

Hi there! I absolutely love this blog! May I ask that you have a look at my latest book on curing depression? It is available here: http://wp.me/P36PGK-2C

I am not sure how you include books on your blog, but if it is possible, will you please make mine available somewhere?

I will appreciate it so much!

Thanks!
Chris.
on March 26, 2013 at 12:10 pm | Reply Katie Robinson

I nominated you for the Liebester Award! If you didn’t get a notification I provided the link below. I wanted to nominate you because I do enjoy your reflections and you actually inspired me to add “read a good book” on my bucket list to comeplete before I’m 25 (I have little over a year to go). This might not seem like a big accomplishment, but it is for me. I literally only remember reading maybe 3 books in my entire life. I’ve despised reading for so long and did not find enjoyment in it. You inspired to enjoyment in reading in me again.
http://asktheyoungprofessional.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/liebester-award/
on May 9, 2013 at 4:35 am | Reply Lady Fancifull

What a brilliant idea, a group of librarians (all, I assume, passionate readers) clubbing together in this way – buy one, get a bundle of others free!
on May 9, 2013 at 9:44 pm | Reply sleepygirl2

I have nominated you for The Bouquet of Three Award. The rules are posted on my blog. You deserve it!
on May 13, 2013 at 6:24 am | Reply coolteenreads

I nominated you for the Shine Award as I really love your blog. See my blog post Shine Award for details of the award and how to continue!

Kind regards

coolteenreads

http://www.itsateenagelibrarything.wordpress.com
on May 21, 2013 at 4:31 pm | Reply Mark Woodring

BFGB, you’ve been mentioned in a post:

http://myownlittleshadow.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/liebster-award-nominee-or-gosh-dont-i-feel-special/
on May 31, 2013 at 4:06 am | Reply Dana

Hi Team,

I have been following your blog for some time and I really enjoyed reading it.

I would like to see if I could submit a guest post or 2 for your blog/readers on the following topics:

1.Top Reads for Spring: Stephen King’s Return and Nate Silver’s Crystal Ball
2.Tip For Choosing Your Child’s Summer Reading List

What do you think about these?

For your information, all of our articles are custom written by our writers for your blog, and are absolutely free.

If you are interested, I am happy to get something written up and sent over to you – or if you have another topic you’d like to see covered, please do let me know.

Thanks and I look forward to your positive response.

Dana
- on May 31, 2013 at 6:52 am | Reply Barry
  
  Dana, Thanks for the offer, but one of the things that we like about BFGB is that it represents the voice of the library. So we will stick to staff writing posts.
  
  Barry
on June 4, 2013 at 2:03 am | Reply fishnsotong

I have never heard of this library before. But I like this blog. Wherever you are, keep up the great work.
- on June 6, 2013 at 9:58 pm | Reply Barry
  
  Thanks We are in southeastern Virginia in the U.S. Glad you enjoy the posts!
on June 10, 2013 at 4:58 am | Reply ElleLainey

Congratulations! You’ve been included in my Pay It Forward blog post. Check it out – http://ellelainey.wordpress.com/2013/06/10/pay-it-forward-bloggers/
on June 17, 2013 at 10:07 am | Reply Jennifer Lyne

I know authors are discouraged from asking for reviews, but I’d like you to consider reading my first novel, Catch Rider, which is set in the Virginia horse world. I won’t be offended if you don’t like it! I couldn’t find contact info, so I’m leaving the message here.

Here’s my Kirkus review:

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jennifer-h-lyne/catch-rider/

Please let me know if I can get you a copy or a PDF.

Thank you,

Jennifer Lyne
on June 25, 2013 at 9:09 am | Reply Simple Northern Life

I am happy to have found your site I love to read and write. I love fantasy, romance and paranormal but I am beginning to explore New Age and Spirituality a little more but what my main focus is to discover other genres that I am not so comfortable with so I can expand my knowledge and vocabulary.Any suggestions I am grateful for. My gratitude is yours, Allie.
on July 5, 2013 at 11:15 am | Reply Lisa.H

So thankful to have found this blog! I have been in a stale run of books to read, although I have a feeling that may have come to an end!
on July 8, 2013 at 1:59 pm | Reply Author Alexander Kennedy

All of us over here love your blog!

Keep your pens busy….
on July 16, 2013 at 2:16 pm | Reply priyankadarji

Hi,

I have nominated you for the leibster award, here is the link:

http://priyankadarji.wordpress.com/2013/07/14/leibster-award-nomination/

Just answer the questions for your chance to win :)
on July 27, 2013 at 10:27 am | Reply TheGirl

Interesting concept, not a lot of libraries do book reviews….at least not the local ones around here. Great blog!
on August 29, 2013 at 8:46 am | Reply stampartiste

I love coming to your blog and reading the posts! I lived in Williamsburg in the 1970’s, and one of my favorite places to hang out was at the library. It was such a warm and inviting place, and I’m so thrilled to find your blog with the same atmosphere. Thank you for maintaining such a wonderful place to sit and relax.
- on August 29, 2013 at 11:05 am | Reply Barry
  
  Thanks for your very kind words about WRL and Blogging for a Good Book!
on September 9, 2013 at 12:10 am | Reply cindamackinnon

What a great idea! Thank you for doing this,
(CCM, novelist)
- on September 10, 2013 at 7:34 am | Reply Barry
  
  Our pleasure!
on September 16, 2013 at 6:54 pm | Reply livrepress

What a great way for a regional library to step-out of the local scene and enter the world stage! I appreciate and love reading your reviews.

– Sandra Alex, Author – The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)
on September 19, 2013 at 10:04 am | Reply Anonymous

Can I recommend a dark comedy novel called FOXAVIER AND PLINKA for your archive. It is a poignant and funny look at diet obsession, food commercials and ethics.
on September 23, 2013 at 2:10 pm | Reply lovetoread8

I just wanted to let you know I nominated you for the Shine On Award. You can find out more here: http://lovetoread8.wordpress.com/2013/09/23/shine-on-award/
on October 29, 2013 at 1:31 am | Reply painttheworldwithwords

Hi, I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award.

Follow this link: http://painttheworldwithwords.wordpress.com/?p=470
on October 29, 2013 at 1:45 am | Reply The Versatile Blogger Award | painttheworldwithwords

[…] https://bfgb.wordpress.com/about/ […]
on December 4, 2013 at 4:30 pm | Reply Ed Hartnett

I just stumbled on your blog and it looks great with lots of excellent suggestions. Looking through the many categories it does surprise that I do not see Gay or LGBT as one. Lots of great works out there in that genre. Since I am currently writing a novel whose protagonist is in his late teens and gay, I’ve had the good fortune to discover quite a number of them and have been writing reviews on my blog after I finish them.
on February 4, 2014 at 2:49 pm | Reply Vee

Hi, I just found this blog and I think it’s great! I noticed that you have several books on your list that I intend to review for my blog this year. It will be interesting to compare notes and experiences with you all. Best wishes!

honeylemontea.com
on April 7, 2014 at 5:03 pm | Reply bbutler627

I’m a big fan of your blog! I love how you break down interesting reads like clever dialogue as something featured. In reading a few of your posts of late, I feel like I’m having a conversation with the writers. Very cool. I’m stumbled over here after just finishing a book review on my blog and looking for my next great book. I’m going to hit up your archives!
- on April 8, 2014 at 8:05 am | Reply Barry
  
  Thanks for the kind words!
on May 30, 2014 at 1:31 am | Reply dhawalsrvstv

I love your book recommendations and reviews! I’m a big fan of yours! Would you mind reading my review on The Small Bachelor by PG Wodehouse in my “Dhawal Writes…” blog?
on July 16, 2014 at 12:04 pm | Reply whatmeread

I nominated you for the One Lovely Blog award. See this link for the rules: http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2014/07/16/one-lovely-blog-award/
on September 29, 2014 at 12:06 am | Reply The Discerning Reader

Excellent review
on November 18, 2014 at 8:01 am | Reply jk3mmys

Gotta say that I love the people interested in reading and writing. This is just an amazing place to find your way through books!
on December 4, 2014 at 9:21 am | Reply Sam Rappaz

The most brilliant blog since… ah! forget it. Just brilliant!
on December 23, 2014 at 1:30 pm | Reply HelloWorldMagazine

Absolutely Awesome! Your blog is great. Keep up the great work! please Visit http://www.helloworldmagazine.com sometime, too. Thanks!
on January 17, 2015 at 7:55 pm | Reply izzy-grabs-life

I’m thrilled I was suggested this blog. Loving the reviews and effort put into this.
on February 20, 2015 at 1:20 pm | Reply KamiKanten

What makes you read and share your experience with reading certain books with others?
on February 24, 2015 at 12:37 pm | Reply cindamackinnon

Why do I share reading experiences? To spread the pleasure of a good book and because it is fun to discuss them with friends. (I’m a novelist myself.) I write reviews for the same reason – but sometimes (without being mean) I warn other readers ” this book had top reviews,
but it is a bit pedantic,long….etc.” Sometimes a “good” book is all a matter of preferences.
on May 30, 2015 at 10:44 am | Reply arwynundomiel

I worked in the library when I was in high school and worked long and hard putting together lists of books for a variety of needs. If a student had a book report due for any given class and needed help finding one that wouldn’t be too hard, I had a list for that. I also frequented used bookstores and donated hundreds of great books to the library. Before I arrived, it was largely just full of academic and reference books, but since it was a private boarding school, there was a steady stream of students coming in asking for help finding a good book to read purely for entertainment. So I made it my mission to go through every single shelf in the library in search of good reads and compile multiple lists for every conceivable area of interest. I’m still in contact with the librarian and she assures me that ‘Bethany’s Lists’ are still kept by the front desk and are heavily used by each new wave of students.
on July 18, 2018 at 1:43 pm | Reply Matt W

Hello

I enjoyed coming across your dark humor blog on the web.

I was wondering if you would be interested in a free copy of my new book “26 Absurdities of Tragic Proportions” (5 star rated on Amazon) in exchange for a review?

These 26 tales are inspired by Edward Gorey’s illustrations in the Gashlycrumb Tinies and will make you…well… something.

Check out more about it on my site at:

http://www.MattWoodruffAuthor.com

If you would like a copy, just reply to this email with a yes, or submit the form on the press/reviews page of the website to denote how you would like your copy delivered.

Thanks!
Matthew