Initial Opinion
Ooh, aren't those some lovely image error boxes? The design is pretty bland, and I'm just not feeling it... Is the menu having a seizure?
Design-wise
Okay...black on dark blue on dark gray. Not working for you, at all. It's very moribund. Books are vibrant, in all different sorts of colors! Why isn't your site? I know everything goes with black, but come on. Look at other review sites (
www.rottentomatoes.com,
www.gamesradar.com) and check out what they're doing. Are their colors all the same? Are the elements shaky? Which reminds me, your menu fidgets, a lot. Why does it fidget? If you want an effect, try a button highlight or fade (or a button at all), perhaps a font color change. Something interesting. Maybe even a sound. Have fun with the menu. Heck, have fun with the site. What screams "you"? Are you black, and bland, with a tiny navigation? Are you colorful, knowledgable, full of opinions to share? Most reviewers are. Let it shine through!
Content-Wise
I'm not feeling it. Tell me what you liked about these books. Tell me what you hated! What parts were really overrated? Which reminds me, do you have any books you DIDN'T like on your site? ( I did a shallow search). Writing reviews about bad books improves your ability to give your opinion freely. People want honesty in a review and they want to hear your opinions. GIVE THEM. Also, your content organization is sloppy. Is there going to be a new link under that fidgety "Books" list every time you review one? Why not simply make an "author's favorites" section and put those books under there. Then continue in some broad genres. As for your staff's pages...please just put them all under "Staff". I don't want someone's personal list under a navigation that should feature books! I'm really not pulled in by this content or the way it's presented, no offense.
Services
None offered, none reviewed.
Overall
This site needs an overhaul. A make-over. A coup de ta. (a redo- a rewind- a spot on pimp my site, etc, etc, etc.) First, the layout. Oh god the layout. It's dark, it's brooding, it's BORING. You're not going to get many visitors with barely visible content and a fidgety menu. Of course, with your content not really bringing them in and apparently following a random pattern of un-organization, I don't think it would matter. I think somebody mentioned the History page not actually telling you what the site is about. Well, that appears to be your theme. "Simple titles, random and un-informational content!".
Sorry to be harsh, but you asked how to make your site better.
