Okay, this is a rant post. And I apologize but bare with me Let's be clear on something, if I don't like a book, I don't review it. Period! I just don't. My goal in life is to HELP authors. So if I read a book, and don't like it, I kindly decline doing a review for it.
Simple as that right?
Well sometimes I do read books I don't like. And guess what I do about it? Absolutely nothing! I know there are books out there that I am not going to like! Even books in the genres I like.
And then there are books that I sorta like and I will keep it if I bought it but I don't plan on reviewing it.
AND THEN there are books that I absolutely love!
So, does that mean that I go and bash the book that I only sorta kinda liked? NO!
Okay, to the point that started this rant:
The other day I was having a lovely conversation with my grandma about Cinderella re-tells. And we were discussing some of our favorites! And she mentioned this version that was wonderful except for ONE SCENE. And that is always horrible. So she told me what the scene was and I was shocked. This version of Cinderella was supposed to be for little girls, and this scene was not!
And then my grandma mentioned another scene in the book. And something clicked. . . I recognized that scene. I had read that scene in a book somewhere. So I get online and I go to Goodreads and look this book up and realize. . . I read that book. . years ago. Too young to understand the scene clearly but I had read it.
Just to be sure though, I got on Amazon and began reading reviews. And it was the same book I had read years before, never understanding that one horrible scene.
I soon discovered I love reading reviews. I like seeing what others think of all the books I read. So I started looking up other books. And I started with books I love. The first thing I do? Go to the one star reviews to see what people don't like about my favorite books.
Most of the reviews were silly, and the reviewers didn't like the book for the silliest (and what I mean by silliest is stupidest!) reasons.
And then it happened. . . I read a review for a book I love. . . and wanted to cry. The review wasn't "Oh wasn't the book for me blah blah blah. . " It wasn't "Oh this book was horribly written and I hate it. Don't read it!" And it wasn't "Wish I hadn't wasted my time or money. . . " Nope. The review began something like this:
"When I first read this book, I LOVED it. It has a great story and the writing is fantastic. And then, well then I read (this other book) and realized that I really don't like this book. Because (this other book) is so much better!!! So don't waste your time, read the other book I mentioned instead."
Okay, seriously!?!?!?!?!?!?! If you like a book, why must you bash it because you found a book you like more?!? Why can't you like both books? Why don't you just NOT review the first book????? *Smacks forehead to desk repeatedly*
Please tell me I am not the only one that finds this horrible wrong? Because if I am, I will delete this post and forget it. But really people, must we bash awesome books? Must we bash books that aren't awesome? Why can't we all just agree that not every book is for everyone?
*Bangs forehead on desk some more*
Hi! I'm new around.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! Every book has its own purpose and theme and meaning. If you don't feel connected while reading it, just drop the book, it's not what you're looking for at the moment. if you're angry and searchimg for revenege it's useless to read a book about peace and no blood sheds without having already made judgements (and these won't help - we all know what happens to Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy...)
reading books is just like eating ice-cream. if you are a vanilla person but you can't find it anywhere at the moment, will you refuse chocolate or caramel ice-cream instead and trash it because it's not vanilla? No. it's the same with books.
(This argument helped me more than praising books that I liked and others rejected "because there are others better" -maybe the craving for ice cream will make them more maleable and reasonable) ;)
Exactly! This is a great analogy. It just makes me so sad to see one great book being bashed because it wasn't "as good" as another book.
DeleteI seriously just smacked my forehead when I read the review and was like "Seriously?"
Instead of Amazon banning authors's reviews, they should ban reviews like these! .
On another note, thanks for stopping by!
Well, some people think that they and their tastes are the only one that matters and acceptable. I disagree. Every one has the right to an opinion.
DeletePlus, there ano no 2 things exactly the same, there is always comparison to be make (especially when speaking about books). But standards and tastes are the one who make the difference.
Anyway, I think this kind of reviews shouldn't matter. Without a good explanation, it's judt that the author didn;t guess what the reviewer wanted and then write the book specially for him. That's the real proble!
I know I'm mean, but I don't like when people see just their side, I don't like the lack of empathy and consideration.
Now that I've found your blog I'll stop by more ofen.
Oh I fully believe that everyone has a right to their opinion. What bothers me is that they claimed to love the book but found a book that was better so they no longer like the first book.
DeleteI just don't understand why people feel the need to be rude about the things they don't like. I will admit this right now, I don't like Twilight. But I don't advertise that or make a huge deal about it. I mean, I joke about it with friends who have the same feelings towards it.
Right? No two things the same. So of course she doesn't have to like both books. But the reviewer claimed that she did. Only one was better so she no longer like the first.
I completely agree and see what you're saying.
Thank you!
I agree - that's an awful way to review a book. I love to read reviews too - the way some people have no qualms in discussing the author's bad grammar while using terrible grammar themselves!
ReplyDeleteUm... on a separate note - are you open for review at the moment? My novella's been out for a year (I'm celebrating the anniversary) and I'm on a quest. :-D
That is another thing that bothers me. When you read a reivew like "Dis autho, has bad grammer, and you cant, understand any o te book" It's like, Really!?!?!
DeleteLOL and while I am a bit behind, I am catching up quickly so e-mail me and we can work something out.
I have read so many stupid reviews that I often wonder if they do it just to have something to say or to pretend they know what they are doing or just to join the troll community. I read a one star review about a book I love and the comment said. "They didn't cancel my reservation." It was like uh?????
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. I really can't stand reviews that aren't reviews at all.
DeleteThe other thing that bothers me is when someone charges to write a review that says something like
"This is a really good book, buy it." And that's it.
Totally agree! Sometimes it's hard to read books entirely independent of all the others in the world but I think you should probably try. Good books are like people, right? There is no better, only different!
ReplyDelete<3
Well I think something that isn't really understood is Authors aren't competing. It isn't a competition. Authors help authors. And seems how everything else (not really) is so competitive these days, people have to make writing/books/authors a competitive thing too.
DeleteHahaha, I've seen these reviews around and they always leave me shaking my head as well. Like you I usually read the one star reviews first because I like to know what people hate about a book as much as what they love. Anyway, this post came at a good time for me because I just got a hilarious anti-Mormon rant as an Amazon review on House of Diamonds.
ReplyDeleteRight?! The one star reviews are helpful more so than the 5 star reviews. All the five star reviews are people going Fangirl/boy. (I know because I've done it myself.)
DeleteWow, that is so pathetic. (The anti-Mormon review)
And I find it really funny that you found this at a good time, I wasn't going to post it until next month but I was so annoyed that I switched posts around. :D
And I meant to tell you-- I LOVE the new look of your blog!
ReplyDeleteAww thank you! That makes me so happy to hear!
DeleteAs a writer, I compare myself to other writers enough, I'd hate to read that someone else was doing it in a review
ReplyDeleteRight?!?! This review just really upset me. I can't believe someone would do this. It makes me so incredibly sad.
DeleteI'm not published (yet) so I don't completely understand you, but I don't let myself affected by things that are out of my reach.
DeleteI don't say that I don't care when hearing bad stuff, but when I analyze who and why are said I feel better than before reading them: if they have something bad to say about me without good readon, then they hate me because I'm better than they are and they just envy me.
See, that's healthy thinking!
And trust me, if you're creative enough you can find a silverlining in the worst things!
Think about bad things to do or say to your reviewer and you'll have some material for your next (Horror) book! :))
Sorry, I couldn't help it!
Oh I'm not published either (yet). This wasn't about one of my books. It was something I found while reading reviews for other books.
DeleteI understand that not everyone is going to enjoy every book. And I completely understand not liking something. But when I read a book I don't like, I don't review it.
And if I read one book that I gave four stars, and then one book that I give five stars, I don't go back to the four star book and say "Never mind, I read a book that I gave five stars so only read that one."
Haha :p
Reviews and the opinions on them are like politics and religion. . . lots of feelings on the subject.
ReplyDeleteBut like you I don't review a book if I don't like it, I don't feel like I have the street cred to to tell someone else how to write -- unless they ask. In a critique group I'll share my opinion, because it's appropriate, but in a review never, unless I love it!
I think the none writing public has a right to way what they will -- I agree with Amazon's new policy. If other authors were leaving zingers out there just to down play the competition -- shame, shame!
Too true. Oh yeah, if someone asks for it, I am give my full opinion. But when reviewing for fun, I make sure I am only reviewing the books I love!
DeleteI believe everyone has a right to to do what they will and say what they will and review books of there choosing. I still don't understand how someone can bad talk about a book they loved, because they found something else they loved even more.
That would have bothered me too. And by the way, I've done the same thing--looked up my favorite books and read the one star reviews. I find that a lot of the time, people didn't really understand the book, so of course they gave it one star. It surprises me though.
ReplyDeleteExactly. I think what bothers me to the most is the competitiveness of it all. Is it really that important to people to compare one to another? :/
DeleteI often find this the trouble with rating systems. Say I read an older book by an author, think it is pretty good (like 4/5 stars). But then 6 months later read their latest and greatest, and their skill has improved hugely in between the two books. I will (if forced to use rating system) give a high rating, explaining how their skill has greatly improved, but also let my old review stand, because that was honestly how I felt at the time. And that is the best us reviewers can do - honesty at any given point of time.
ReplyDeleteThat is a very good point when it comes to using rating systems. And a good way to look at it. Being honest is always the best answer!
DeleteThis is why you're a good reviewer. I think I die a little every time I read a review of one my books where someone says I copied another author's book, or that another book was like mine, but WAY better, and on and on. It just strikes me as incredibly unprofessional, and well, just generally done in poor taste. Honesty is good and greatly appreciated, but judge a book on its own merit, you know?
ReplyDeleteAww thank you! And that is completely understandable. Right?! Unprofessional, rude, inconsiderate. This is why I wrote the post about "Authors have feelings too". Because people don't think about that when they tear a book to shreds, especially for stupid things.
Delete