As you know, sometime ago I put the word out for guest reviewers because I wanted to try new things on the blog to give you, the readers, more content and different perspectives. Well I have some breaking news. 🙂 I found two great guest reviewers. You have met Emerald Jaguar who has already posted two reviews. I tried to describe Emmy on Sunday and failed miserably but I will reprise what I said at the time for those of you who did not see my original post. Also joining the blog as a guest reviewer is LynnZ who has a kinder, gentler style which I would say is in between Emmy’s and mine. Here’s a little background on Lynn and a reprise of the original information on Emmy –
Aunt Lynn (or just Lynn, if you are like me and cannot fathom talking about sexxy things with someone’s Aunt!) began her foray into M/M land as many women do: via slash fanfiction. Starting off in Harry Potter fanficlandia and shipping Harry/Draco, she then discovered original character free stories in Nifty, finally graduating to for-pay stories, many of which have been reviewed here. Inspired to put fingertips to the keyboard about a few of her favorite books she began writing reviews on Amazon about six months ago. Lynn’s style is thoughtful — and definitely wordy — consideration laced with just a bit of humor. In her quest to learn everything there is about the books she consumes, she seeks out what others are saying about them, and if along the way she stumbles upon additional information and titillating conversation about these books, their authors, and the genre in general, then all the better! This is how she found this blog and the prospect of being a guest reviewer. Lynn looks forward to the opportunity of having her reviews ripped apart by you animals …. sorry, I meant readers …. and her first review should be live later this week. Play nice boys and girls. 🙂
Here’s a repeat of what I said about Emmyjag on Sunday:
The delightful Emerald Jaguar has joined us as a guest reviewer on the blog. Emmy’s style is certainly very different from mine as I’m sure you realize since she has already posted two reviews under her “Half Assed” by-line. Are her reviews more fun??? Depends on whether you’re an author or a reader since she’s very satirical and pulls no punches. I do think her language needs a bit of work as her favourite phrase is “books that sucked hairy donkey ballz” *g* and she does tend to get sidetracked with rage when a book displeases her, for whatever reason. If you’re an author you had better duck, as Emmy has a unique way of critiquing books – not the types of book reviews you see in the venerable New York Times. Maybe her laid-back style has something to do with living in Hawaii, lying on the beach in the sun and asking the nearest guy (or gal) to oil her body!
Also, from time to time I hope that Mary M, our resident French Canadian critic, will grace the blog with her book reviews. Just saying 🙂
The above personalities are definitely different in their approach to reviews, which is what this blog is all about, diversity. (Couldn’t resist) :DDD
Hi everyone! I’m excited to be working with Wave and sharing my opinion of some books in this genre. Oh, and maybe not so eager about the critic being critiqued… *g* Seriously, I am looking forward to what you all have to say.
Hi Lynn
Welcome. Not to worry about the critics – they regularly rip my guts out of you know where 🙂
Hi Lynn and welcome! Looking forward to seeing your reviews! 😀 I checked a few of your reviews on Amazon a few days ago and the first thing that crossed my mind was “huh – I’M NEVER going to be able to write a review that detailed”. Lol. I might be able to match Wave’s usual post lenght, but not beyond that. Which is weird because I can write novel-lenght e-mails. Anyway. So, can’t wait to say what you have in store for us.
I’ve already talked a bit to Emmy, but welcome anyway :-p And welcome to me too, even though I didn’t rate a nifty little presentation :-DDDDDD (I seriously don’t think I’m going to post often enough to warrant one)
Mary
I would love to do “a nifty little presentation” if only you would give me one 🙂
Re your reviews – I just want you to be yourself and rate any books you review. I’m not looking for you to write longer reviews than I do – I’m working on trying to shorten mine (not very successful yet, but I’m still working on it):)
Welcome Lynn and EmmyJag! Looking forward to reading what you have to say.
Meg
I checked a few of your reviews on Amazon a few days ago and the first thing that crossed my mind was “huh – I’M NEVER going to be able to write a review that detailed”.
MaryM, please don’t go by what and how I write for comparison! I can be long-winded, probably too much. I’m sure whatever you do will be great! That’s what makes this venue so wonderful: we all write differently.
Thanks for the welcome, Meg! There should be a review of mine up in the next few days, so I’m eager — and anxious! — to hear what everyone has to say.
Lol. Nah, thanks 😀 A honest presentation would sound like my LJ bio and it’s no precisely stuff I want advertised everywhere :-DDD I’m never going to do more than pop in once in a (long) while anyway – hell, counting Between Brothers, that makes it 3 reviews I’ve promised to write in the next month or so and I’m feeling overwhelmed already. Lol. I can’t even fathom writing several reviews a week like you or Emmy do. I’d be burned out after 3 weeks.
I suspect the reason I can’t write long formal texts (articles or review) is because of the journalism program. For 3 years they hammered into me to “go straight to the point, nothing but the essential”. So now after I’ve laid the bones, it’s a struggle to flesh the thing out. Plus, it takes long enough to come up with a single tine that accurately describes a situation or my feelings that I usually leave it at that.
Now let’s see if I can finally read your lats 2 interviews or if I’ll get sidetracked by something else once again. ;-D
Lynn, don’t worry, I’m not looking to copy anyone’s style 😀 Readers don’t need another Wave or another Lynn, they’ve got the originals already 😉 But I did admire you capacity to detail your feelings about the story, its characters and its twists and turns, to such a lenght.
Mary
You did a fabulous job on the Adrien English series, within a very short time frame, kicking and screaming all the way :DDD
Kick and scream I did 😀 I was happy I did it…once it was over. While I’m writing, it’s always agonizing and I curse myself for promising ot do it and swearing it’s the last time.
Ha. I say that after every hangover too.
I agree, Mary, you did a great job on the AE 1-3 series review. I just reread what you and Wave wrote and it was brilliant.
I discovered Emmyjag quite recently when she friended me on LJ, and I’m vastly enjoying her half-assed reviews-I like a review that’s snappy and not nasty for nasty’s sake, finds the bad and also the good, and makes me laugh.
I’m looking forward to discovering the other two!
Oh hai!!
I’m NOT the long winded one, lolz. Hence the half-assed reviews. But we has a good team going, with distinctly different review styles. Should be lots of fun!!
Emmyj
Are you insinuating I’m “long winded”? I have been working hard to be more concise, which is what every reviewer should be. I HAVE improved – instead of 800 words I’m now down to 600 words per review – just saying *g*
Erastes
I have been enjoying Emmy’s reviews for sometime. Not sure whether some of them are still too hot for the blog, so her less controversial reviews are paving the way. :DDD There is one that I love and she knows of what I speak, but I’m not yet sure if the blog can withstand the storm that it will generate 🙂
Welcome guys, I look forward to reading all reviews, whomever is writing them.
*raises hand with a sheepish g* I’m the long-winded one. Trying to work on that since my average review is about 1100 words. We’ll see how I do…
And thank you, Lynn 😉 The AE series was such fun, it makes writing a review so much more interesting.