What do you like most about book reviewing?
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- moderntimes
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Re: What do you like most about book reviewing?
Right now I'm plunging my way through a sadly flat and featureless novel, what's supposed to be a great noir author of Scandinavian mystery, but it's awful. Plenty of mistakes, too. I won't be able to list the errors because the copy I received is an early rough printing, but the writing itself is dreary. Reads like a grocery list. I know that a negative review affects sales but I'm duty bound to my readership audience who look at my reviews and use them to choose. So I need to call 'em as I sees 'em. Tough.
- Aspen_Reads
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- jkclay1
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-Benjamin Franklin
- ALynnPowers
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I also enjoy having an excuse to review. (And getting free books in the process is nice too)Amheiser wrote:I like being able to have an excuse to read. I feel like there is always so much stuff to do that taking time to read takes time away from stuff that probably should be taken care of, but if I'm doing a review then I get to do something that I like to do that makes me feel like I am accomplishing something for myself and for someone else. I have been exposed to lots of different genres by reviewing books that I might not otherwise have looked for.
- Sarita Everson
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- moderntimes
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- Aivlys
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- GKCfan
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- ALynnPowers
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- TLGabelman
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Do the authors contact you after you review?ALynnPowers wrote:The thing I like least: dealing with authors who can't take criticism. But it is a bit enjoyable, because it makes me laugh.
This wasnt something i expected. Not that i mind. I think it would be interesting to hear what they thought of my review. Ive noticed most reviews here go without comment.
― William Goldman, The Princess Bride
- Himmelslicht
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And of course, sometimes it feels good to know what other people think and it also helps me a great deal to choose what I should or should not read.
- Gustave Flaubert
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Yeah, I notice too. Lately, I'll even congratulate the author on receiving a 4-star review, and they don't reply. It makes me feel a little blue, but maybe they think they're not supposed to reply, or something.TLGabelman wrote:Do the authors contact you after you review?ALynnPowers wrote:The thing I like least: dealing with authors who can't take criticism. But it is a bit enjoyable, because it makes me laugh.
This wasnt something i expected. Not that i mind. I think it would be interesting to hear what they thought of my review. Ive noticed most reviews here go without comment.
- PashaRu
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Occasionally I see an author respond to a review. I've had it happen just once, and he was very gracious and seemed to value the objective feedback. Some are like this, and others can't seem to handle criticism. I agree with you, it would be nice if there were more interaction between authors and reviewers. But only the authors who aren't oversensitive, arrogant jerks.zeldas_lullaby wrote:Yeah, I notice too. Lately, I'll even congratulate the author on receiving a 4-star review, and they don't reply. It makes me feel a little blue, but maybe they think they're not supposed to reply, or something.
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Well, my dad is always telling me that I'm being too sensitive. You know, to everything. Kind of like that boy in My Girl who was allergic... to everything.
(On his behalf, he's the only man who can live with me.)
I've got a book in the review system right now, and I plan to respond whether I get 4-stars or 1-star. Of course, my response will vary greatly from those extremes: either, "Wow, thanks for the great review of my book!" Or, "Thank you for taking the time to read and review my book. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it more." Well, we'll see what happens.