Tell me Something Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Cambria Hebert. Every week we get to answer to a new question.
This week's question:
How do you feel about negative book reviews? Writing them and reading them…
My answer:
I haven't participated in a Tell Me Something Tuseday for a while, but this week theme was so appropriate for what I've been thinking lately that I had to do the post. Ok, so this summer I had the bad luck to read a few books that I didn't really like so obviously they ended up with one or two stars reviews. Whenever I write a bad review I feel kind of bad myself. It's not that I don't mean exactly what I write, I usually write a review right after I finish a book so it still has all my feelings in it. So why do I feel bad? Because I have to dab mouth someone else's baby. Yes, I believe that books are their authors' babies. And especially since I right the review right after reading a book the feeling, whether bad or good, are usually enhanced. I do keep in mind though that someone is going to read my review, and I believe that especially a bad review needs to be accompanied with the proper explanations. I just hope that the reasons I give are enough. Even when I don't manage to finish a book I will review it but I would mention not finishing it. Some times I think that choosing not to finish a book might be even better than finishing one I don't like feeling like I am in hell while reading it. So yes, I might use hard words to describe my equally hard feeling but I try to have a reason behind them not blindly attacking an author and their work. Especially if it's an indie author or a review book or a debut novel.
That was all about the writing part, now about reading bad reviews. I have to confess that when I truly hate a book I would go around reading bad reviews after I wrote mine and click like if I am on Goodreads or make a comment to agree. It's really hard to be the only one not liking a book, it can be lonely and you cna wonder if you're crazy so it's always nice to see that others agree. So you can guess I have spent a fairly good amount of time reading bad reviews. Some of them have the proper explanations like I mentioned before but some of them are truly awful. Yes, I can understand finishing a book and truly hating it and want to trash talk about it and okay you have the right to do so but after you spent some time away from the book go back to your 5 line review and add the reasons why you truly hated it. You might actually help people who read it to decided whether they might be interested in it or not.
And to conclude, I've seen a few disturbing things through my blogging life. Reviewers attacking authors and of course the other way around, but I believe that if both sides respect and appreciate the effort and time invested in both writing and reading a book there would not be any extreme examples of Reviewers vs Authors fights. Bad reviews do have their purpose just like every other review they are there to help people see a book from different points of view. It is still the reader's choice to whether pick up a book or not.
My own bad reviews:
I went and read a couple of your negative reviews before writing this and I think they are very well written with examples of why you couldn't finish the book. One of the books is one I have on my Kindle that I haven't been able to get past the first couple pages of. Great answer this week! :)
ReplyDeleteI think you said things very well. I agree with you in many ways and you know I think it is great you mention in the review if you couldn't finish it because I agree why make yourself read something that makes you feel like your in Hell (unless you are reading the Heven and HELL series.... did you like how I slid that in there... LOL)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I also agree that it IS hard to be the only person who didn't like a book, and I have looked to see if I am the only one when I don't like something. Example: I read City of Bones when it first came out and just couldn't get into it. Well I feel like a complete outcast bc I must be the only one!!! LOL.
I am sp glad to see you back on TMST this week!!! I enjoy reading your responses. Well said, well said.
Great answer Veronica. I hate writing bad reviews too, and yet they're the ones that are always easier to write, when I love everything about a book, I get lost for words as to what to say about it. I rarely rate any books less than 3 stars because if they're going to be that low, I don't finish them. I have too many books I want/need to read to waste my time reading something I'm not enjoying. Like you, I hate to be the only one not to like a book, so I check over others reviews too. I never attack the author when reviewing a bad book. Whether I enjoy their book or not, they have done something that I know I couldn't do.
ReplyDeleteI have been reading a whole lot of bad reviews lately too. I actually go for the extremes on Amazon when I want to buy a book. I like that you don't shy away from writing the not so glowing reviews. I am still working on enough courage to do that, but I can respect your opinions. I really liked Possessions for example, but you gave valid points for why you did not like it and I can see why you felt the way you did.
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