Reviews are coming In

I love to write book reviews. This is because I like to give my opinion. I've written plenty of Amazon book reviews as well many blog posts reviews (which reminds me, I have some book reviews to catch up on. Look for them soon!)

So it is interesting to find myself in the other seat these days, the place of having my writing reviewed. This reviewer has become the reviewed.

I promised myself not to give too much credence to reviews. One person's POV can be vastly different than another. And though I know this, I still check Amazon at least three times a day to see if anyone has posted a new review. 

So far there are nine. All of them are 4-5 star reviews with the exception of one (more on that later). What's really interesting is that most of the reviews are from men. I love this. Love it. My pictured reader as I wrote Unladylike was a non-descript white woman. Basically a woman like me.

Here's some highlights of some of the Amazon reviews:

Unladlylike is going to challenge you because Pam boldly guides us on a tour through the deeply rooted sexism in the evangelical  

*** 

Having been raised in the Bible-belt south, and in churches where it was just a fact of life that women were not to be in positions of authority, I was naive to the oppression of women in ministry. And this book is opening my eyes. The research is well presented, the prose clean and well written, and Pam's personality shines through in every chapter. 

*** 

My daughters will both read this book, and I pray come away stronger and more sure of their value in God's eyes. May they be "women who are determined to live in the fullness of who God has made them to be rather than diminished by what patriarchal religion tells them they cannot be.

Besides the Amazon reviews, my friend Bill Dahl--who regularly reads and reviews books more than any other person I know--wrote a lengthy response of his thoughts after reading Unladylike. Here's an excerpt:

It took incredible backbone to write a book about the heart of this matter. As we have seen throughout the history of civilization, it takes the heart and beautiful mind of a wise, courageous and creative woman to propel us toward imagining a better way… Dying breed?Not – if   Hogeweide and her ilk have anything to do with it.Finally, a song from my childhood kept throbbing through my head as I read this book. It’s entitled The Buses' Are A-Coming. Hogeweide’s authorship of this book finally…formally.. introduces a voice that is long overdue a legitimate place on the platform this work places her on. Pam Hogeweide… a freedom writer. 

            (click here for his full review)

I've obviously been quite pleased with these early reviews!  Granted, several of these folks are people who have been long-time fans of my writing and so there is likely a tad of bias. But still, it has been encouraging.

Then yesterday, the one-star review came in. The reviewer says, "I cannot recommend this book." When I read what he had to say, I was surprised. I think you will too. You'll have to click HERE to go and see what he had to say.

Do you ever post book reviews?