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So after an amazingly long break, Umb-Rella are finally back! I’d just like to say a massive thank you to Amanda, Ruth, Susie, Mandie and Sarai for everything they’ve done for Umb-Rella. They have been invaluable to us and will be missed.

We’re always looking for new reviewers and new affiliates, so don’t think twice about contacting us regarding affiliation. Potential reviewers can also take a squiz at our now hiring page.

I also have to say, it’s been around two years this month that Umb-Rella was created. So I guess, happy birthday to us! It’s a weird thought, that we’ve been around for so long, but I hope to be reviewing for a while yet! This can only happen if you submit your site though! We’ve got six places left in queue, so if you want a review, you’d best get in quickly!

Originally published at Umb-Rella Reviews. Please leave any comments there.

Hold your horses, we’ll be back soon!

Originally published at Umb-Rella Reviews. Please leave any comments there.

Everyone here at Umb-Rella reviews would like to wish each and every one of our reviewers, reviewees and visitors a very merry Christmas, and we hope that everyone has a safe and joyous holiday. Thank you for your support this year, we hope to see you all next year!

Over the Christmas period, our reviewers are probably going to be stuck in a non-reviewing rut while they celebrate with their respective friends and families, so those waiting in queue, please be patient. Your reviews will get done! (Especially now that one reviewer has five weeks off school!) At the moment though, one review is being completed, another just started. We still have one more place in the queue, so hurry up! ETA: There are no more places left in the queue!

We would also like to welcome a new reviewer, Amber! Welcome to Umb-Rella! Amber will begin reviewing very shortly. Meanwhile, Amanda is still living it up over in Shanghai and she will return sometime around January-February.

Once again, a safe and happy holiday to you all!

Originally published at Umb-Rella Reviews. Please leave any comments there.

Because submissions are open once again! If you want to submit your site, take a gander at our rules page and follow the instructions.

Unfortunately no new reviews have been completely lately, but if you submit, that problem may be fixed sooner or later!

Originally published at Umb-Rella Reviews. Please leave any comments there.

There appears to be something wonky going on with the completed reviews - a blank page appears when you try to load it. If you’ve been reviewed and you wish to view your review again for reference, contact us and we’ll email you the review as a .txt attachment for the time being.

We are working on fixing this problem…but frankly, I’m befuzzled!

Originally published at Umb-Rella Reviews. Please leave any comments there.

I think it’s time for us to recognise the birthday of our esteemed leader and reviewer! Happy birthday Amanda!

So really, this post had no point but to say that. Oh yes, we are writing reviews, hopefully we’ll knock the queue off before Amanda leaves for Shanghai on the 25th after which we anticipate a very slow period until she returns in January.

Originally published at Umb-Rella Reviews. Please leave any comments there.

Two more reviews have been completed:

• Evelyn of Aetherius (review by Amanda)
• Veve of Sensorial (review by Jennii and Amanda)

There are currently four sites still in queue so you know what this means…uh huh, submissions will soon be open! Keep an eye open on the queue. Once one more review is completed, dash over to the submit page and submit…keep us busy!

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Ah yes, the tables have been turned. The delightful Rose of Sillyish has written a review of Umb-Rella Reviews which can be found here. Most suggestions in the review have already been implemented, and you can probably see the changes for yourself now (infinitesimal as they may be).

We have also completed one more review for Caitlin of Asphodel (review by Jenny, Jennii and Amanda).

Reviews for the sites that are still pending are actually going surprisingly well. Two are near-complete and are just waiting for the site owners to fix up some access issues in order to complete certain sections of the review. I anticipate that these two reviews should be completed within two weeks.

If this is indeed the case, it means that Umb-Rella Reviews will soon be open for submissions again. Once we have only three sites in queue, submissions will be opened for one and for all, as per our usual policy, closing only when we reach fifteen sites in queue.

As we anticipate a slow season across December though (as Amanda is going on a seven week long holiday, and other reviewers will be caught up with end-of-year school and university commitments), chances are that even if you submit in the next round of submissions, your review won’t be completed until February of next year. Just an early warning.

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…that a review site existed in order to help the reviewee?

Why then, do so many other review sites demand that their reviewees link them back? A link back is a privilege, not a right. If the reviewer does their job properly (i.e. actually writes a review of substance rather than five lines of superlative crap), then the reviewee will link back out of gratitude.

If the review was horrendous, the reviewee will tell all their friends to steer clear of the review site. If the review was good, the site will be recommended. There’s no need to force a link back…reviewee’s reactions will determine how much exposure the review site gets, and how many submissions they receive.

Our policy here at Umb-Rella is a good example. We don’t demand a link back. In fact, our rules (only three in total) are simple: no overage material, tell us if you’re going to change your layout, and you can apply for a rereview after a period of time. That’s all a review site needs.

So why do I see WPRs with 15+ rules for their potential reviewees to read? Why do they insist on link backs, code words to put in submission forms, etc.? That’s not the way a review site should work.

To end this totally random observation/rant from your friendly administrator of Umb-Rella Reviews, a quote from another review site:

What kind of review site would we be if there were no rules?

Answer? A good one.

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I must admit, we’re long overdue for an update. Since our last real update (does our belated April Fool’s prank count as a real update?), we’ve reviewed a few sites:

• Hannah of Lovely Traces (review by Amanda)
• Hannah of Butterfly Magic (review by Ranjani)
• Umi of Seraphic Tears (review by Jenny and Amanda)
• Skye of Skyefairy (review by Ruth and Amanda)

However, as most of us are back at school or university, reviews will be slow in completion…though as always, we’ll try our best. In any case, there are currently seven sites in queue, with three that are ‘currently being reviewed’ (in all honesty, it’s really only two that are semi-actively being reviewed).

P.S. A big ‘welcome back’ to Jennii, who’s back from her month-long holiday…and a cheerful ‘have fun’ to Tracey who’s off on her own two/three week long holiday.