Fair and balanced is something I try to be when I review or rate a book and I weigh what I think readers would want to know about the book (without revealing spoilers) against going on and on about things that personally annoy me. My ratings are probably on the high side because I start at 4 stars which is “recommended” on this site, and work my way up or down. I may absolutely love a book that you might hate for the same reasons, and I may rate a book as 4.5 stars that someone else rated as 2 or 3 stars or vice versa, but that’s how ratings work.
There’s nothing wrong with either rating because it reflects what that reviewer’s personal opinion is about a book. I’m not a fiction writer and don’t pretend to be one. Although I write for a living, my stuff is so dull it would put you to sleep, 🙂 so I try not to be too analytical when I review a book and just indicate what I loved/hated about it, and overall whether I thought it was a good read. At times I point out specific issues I had with the plot or characterizations, because if I don’t love the characters very rarely would I love the book. As for the huge ranges in ratings for a particular book? What explanation can there be other than personal taste? There is no reviewing school so most reviewers have their own imperfect system for rating books.
I was looking at some of the reviews on this site and others and wondered at the wide range of ratings for the same books. Obviously a lot of this has to do with personal likes and dislikes as we all
have our own internal rating systems. For example, I’m always going on about things in M/M that annoy me such as The Big Misunderstanding (this is just an example). 🙂 The BM could probably affect my rating of a book with that theme without my being aware of it, but another reviewer may not be as bothered and would therefore rate this same book much higher, which goes to show that some readers are more forgiving than others on different aspects of books they read. Rating a book sometimes could be a gut feel more than anything else for a lot of reviewers and reflects their love for a particular author’s writing, a theme, the characterizations in the book, or a combination of a host of other things. Ultimately I think most people rate a book based on what they like to read. I am very aware of my own flawed system of rating 🙂 but I do try to tell you upfront on occasion why I rated a book the way I did.
So why am I writing this post? It’s to find out what types of books you like to read and what factors you would consider if you were rating a book. What kind of reader are you and what elements would you use as Reviewer for a Day? What moves you about a book? Are you more of a forgiving than a critical reader? What about the plot – if it doesn’t make sense would you still rate the book highly? Do you like lots and lots of angst? Hot and hotter sex where the protagonists can’t wait to jump into bed even before they shake hands? Or do you look for books where the fires are banked and it’s more about the emotions than the sex? Do you love action adventures? What if the action were as slow as molasses – how would that affect your rating of a book? If you were rating a book would you get mad at writers because they didn’t write the book you wished they had, so you penalize them for that by downgrading the rating? Could you try to put yourself in the shoes of a reader whose likes/dislikes were exactly opposite to yours and point out some of the ‘positives’ that you hated?
Be a Reviewer for a Day. See how tough the job really is. 🙂 At the end of the day I hope one of you will step forward and volunteer to review a book on the site that you either loved or hated. 🙂
I have found your post particularly interesting and relevant as I have been thinking about writing reviews on Amazon at least for a while .I feel guilty that I use reviews a lot as I explore M\M lit and I haven’t given back.
What has worried me was having to keep explaining where I was coming from for each review as in introducing myself each time….. hey I’m Raine, these are the writers I love Josh Lanyon, Z A Maxfield , K A Mitchell, Heidi Cullinan,Harper Fox, Lyn Gala and actually many more.I am feeling compelled to set the review in context of my taste. But then there is mood too …ok perhaps its as simple as I like this book for good personal reasons which I can share a little with you in the hope you enjoy it as much as I did.I am an instinctive book pusher.
I think I’ve talked myself into wanting to write a review!
Hi Raine
Thanks for commenting.
I post reviews occasionally on Amazon but haven’t done so in a while because I find that amazon reviews don’t seem to have any standards or accountability. When authors ask me to post reviews of their books on amazon I do so but it’s usually the same reviews I post here.
You don’t have to explain yourself everytime you review on amazon because you set up a profile and readers can read it and check out your other reviews. Amazon is good experience for someone learning the ropes and then reviewing for a review site and ultimately setting up their own review blog, if they wish. I should warn you though, writing a good review is hard work. Good luck. 🙂
I’m a pretty critical reader. I tend to see all the technical errors that make me want to grab a red pen, and I have a pretty high standard for plot. I need plot. Without a great plot (a difficult relationship, an outside problem, an internal secret, SOMETHING), I get bored very easily. The books I tend to rate lowest (1-2 stars) are the ones that are just repetitive sex scenes strung together, big misunderstandings (I really dislike problems as plots that could be fixed with a single, simple conversation), or errors in areas I deal with in real life (like BDSM, polyamory, paganism, etc.).
The 4 and 5 star books are the ones that just blow me away. They are books I forget are just books, where errors in any part of the book seem to dim with the enjoyment of the story I’m reading. I do like my books hot, but that heat needs to be seamlessly woven into storyline, not just shoved in there for the sake of more sex. Most books I read fall into the 2 and 3 star ratings, which are ‘It was okay, but I wouldn’t reread it’.
Although, when I do write up a review for Amazon or Goodreads or something, I try VERY hard to mention at least two or three things I did like about the book. Very rarely does a book get a flat-out ‘I hated it, I can’t recommend it, and I wish I could get my money back’. Maybe that’s because I’ve figured out which authors inspire that feeling in me with their books and so I now avoid them.
There is one element to an erotic romance that I like (that I’ve found a lot of people don’t), and that’s the payoff at the end. When the main plot is over, that final 5-10 pages where the two heroes have their happily-ever-after boink. I like that. I like seeing the two protagonists, after all their trials and bumps, get to enjoy one another. It’s why most of my books end that way. Yes, they could technically end one chapter less, but I just so enjoy that payoff of sticking with the characters through everything. When it doesn’t happen, I feel cheated as a reader. What I don’t like are tacked on epilogues that serve very little purpose beyond putting the neat little bow on the package that lets the reader know that, twenty years down the line, the heroes are still together with their white picket fence. 🙂
I think this is why I don’t do many book reviews. *chuckles* I’m just very critical, and that can lead to a pretty harsh review.
Hi Saundra
Thanks for commenting.
>>I’m a pretty critical reader. I tend to see all the technical errors that make me want to grab a red pen, and I have a pretty high standard for plot. I need plot. Without a great plot (a difficult relationship, an outside problem, an internal secret, SOMETHING), I get bored very easily.<< Typically I read a book twice - the first time strictly for pleasure and content and the second time (if I'm reviewing it) I look at the critical elements such as characterization, plot, dialogue, prose and whether the book flows the way I think it should, as a reader. Whenever I'm reviewing I try not to be too technical - I try to put myself in the readers' shoes and ask the question - what would they like to know about this book or not? I'm not an editor so I try not to rewrite the book but I do provide a critical component if I think the book is off the mark. >>There is one element to an erotic romance that I like (that I’ve found a lot of people don’t), and that’s the payoff at the end. When the main plot is over, that final 5-10 pages where the two heroes have their happily-ever-after boink. I like that. I like seeing the two protagonists, after all their trials and bumps, get to enjoy one another<< Most authors don't provide that - after the HEA it's goodbye. That's an excellent suggestion - I wish more authors did give readers more than a one paragraph kiss off. Where is the romance, the afterglow? LOL Thanks Saundra for your insight.
Ah, see, that last sex scene is the one that usually irks me. It smacks of one more “excuse” (as it were) to throw a required number of sex scenes per page. I’m usually of the opinion that if the characters are right for each other and I buy the chemistry between them, I already know they’re going to run off an have hot sex after the last paragraph closes. Thankfully, each book is a different case, so sometimes I’m happy to see the guys get theirs. 😉
Buda
I didn’t mean sex in the last scene. I was looking for cuddling, sharing, being emotionally open. Sometimes guys do love to just hold their partners and talk, and no, talking is not overrated. 🙂
Oh, now that? That I love! 🙂
Hmmmm it’s a good question. Reviews are always so subjective. Just because one says a book is bad, doesn’t mean the other will.
What I look at when I review a book? Basically if I like it or not. If a book “clicks” for me, an author can do no wrong. I like stories that manage to engage me. Stories I want to keep reading well after bedtime or that make me forget my train-stop.
When I need to be critical I look at the style of writing (is is consistent) is the plot a stereotypical story (a been there done that many times over) or imaginative and well through through? Or is there character depth, do they grow or are the character perfect or cardboards instead?
I don’t really have a type of story I enjoy reading I’m all over the place) Though I do like the urban & paranormal romances once they get creative with the creatures 😛
Larissa
>>Reviews are always so subjective. Just because one says a book is bad, doesn’t mean the other will. << Reviews are supposed to be subjective because they are always one person's opinion. We all try to see a book from the other person's viewpoint, but ultimately it's our perspective that we bring to a review. >>I like stories that manage to engage me. Stories I want to keep reading well after bedtime or that make me forget my train-stop. << I believe every author hopes to engage the reader so that he or she forgets those everyday chores or even where they are. That's what I call a writer. 🙂 The other elements you mention are things all reviewers should be considering when writing a review. Thanks very much Larissa.
Its a very good question. I do review books on good reads but quite often I feel they are lacking something. I try to say what i like and give an overview of the book without giving to much away. If I am blown away by the book then I can give more details. But even then I am not sure I articulate myself very well. I write copy as part of my job and proof all our professional work but I try not to bring that into my reviews because writing for business is completely different saying that there have been times when I wanted to reach for a red pen.
I do refer to reviews if I am not sure if I want to read a book based of the blurb or if I am unsure of the author.
I tend to give high ratings it I enjoyed the story and it was readable because ultimately thats the name of the game.
There are a few books I have read that have blown me away by on the other hand there are other where the writing was completely unreadable because I have read a few books and thought OH MY GOD…HOW DID YOU GET PUBLISHED. I know that sounds harsh but there are authors out there who’s books are very difficult to read and you feel as though you are reading something a child has written.
I do believe that a good review should always have something positive in it, and if you don’t like a book you should say why. This is often useful to a writer because they can see where they are going wrong especially if other people have the same problems with a particular book.
Ok I’m rambling now and not sure I actually made any sense whatso ever.
Sarah
>>I try to say what i like and give an overview of the book without giving too much away. If I am blown away by the book then I can give more details. But even then I am not sure I articulate myself very well<< I think that's the principle most reviewers adhere to when writing their reviews. If you tell readers what you liked and didn't like at least they will get a sense of whether they would want to buy the book. Use the KISS principle when in doubt and you'll never go wrong. There are many books that make a reader/reviewer go "Who is your editor?" However, you have to remember that there are many new publishers who are like fly by night operators that have no editing staff, and publish just about anyone. Unfortunately in this market that will only increase unless we root out the really awful authors. There are some books that there's nothing good one can say about them and you just have to call them as you see them.
To me a 4-5 rating should indicate that the book is good, no matter genre, with solid writing, solid characterization, good world building and a thought-out plot. A 3-3.75 rating is for books that might fit a certain genre, a certain kink or a certain mood but not good enough if you’re a more critical reader. Below 3 is “don’t read”.
It’s easier to say what genres I don’t like then what I like. I generally hesitate when it comes to stories surrounding hospitals, doctors and nurses (I’ve read some good fire-fighter stories though). Historicals are also a hard sell for me. Stories involving families, widowers and children are also something I rarely read.
Genres I like are
– Anything supernatural, fantasy, especially urban fantasy. I like vampires more than warewolfs because warewolf stories are kind of predictable. Psychics, Demons and witches (there is no good m/m witch story!).
-Detective stories. Police, PI’s, FBI, Spies, Soldiers. Me likes.
-Cowboys. Who doesn’t?
-Eccentric people.
-Sports.
-Singer/Band stories. Sexy.
Generally, I am really picky when it comes to the story. I like complex stories where the writer puts time into making the story-world and the characters believable.
Plot devices I really dislike when I don’t feel they work are ménages and D/S. I avoid BSDM books unless they’ve been given a favourable review by someone I trust (same with ménages). Rape and dubious consent is another clear dislike.
Can’t stand wishy-washy characters. Bleh for bullying. I also prefer if the main pairing are on somewhat equal standing physically and mentally.
Guilty pleasures: Best friend turned lover, handsome vampires, gfy, the succesful, beautiful and rich. Rough detectives. Obnoxious characters.
Sunshine
>>To me a 4-5 rating should indicate that the book is good, no matter genre, with solid writing, solid characterization, good world building and a thought-out plot.<< Generally that is a good principle and you would normally rate a book according to your system. However, some reviewers like a book regardless and will give it a high score. We discussed books by a certain author which always get high scores even though the plots and characterizations suck, because the reviewers like those kinds of characters. I agree with you on the 3's. It's good you know the genres that you don't like so that you don't buy a book that has a high rating in those themes. I used to buy all books with 5 star ratings until I realized how many of them I never read. Like you I love cop stories, sports themes, fantasy and paranormals. I also love some of your guilty pleasures but I do love a good M/M/M. If done well those are some of the sexiest books around, and not because of the amount of sex because I usually go for plot and character over sex.
I admit that I have read a few m/m/m books lately that have been very good (and very sexy!). I just think it’s a very hit a miss genre and I usually don’t like when it tossed into a regular m/m story, it can be a very badly used plot device. I think the only time I liked it in a m/m story was in Vals book, because then it was done with affection and it also helped ease some tension between the main pairing. But books like More and Black Horse were very intense and plotdriven, I agree.
I think I would like to give writing a proper review a go. I’m just not sure I would be very good at it. I think that’s another reason people tend not to leave their own reviews. They don’t have the confidence to express themselves.
Start small and have a friend you trust look over your first reviews and give you a critique. when you feel confident then and only then publish it. 🙂
Books are very much a matter of personal taste, I think. I tend to buy books based on reviews. Sometimes I even go outside of my own comfort zone because a reviewer I’ve come to trust rates a book high. On the other hand, sometimes I take up books with low ratings if something that didn’t sit right with the reviewer catches my interest, and I’ve found a number of very interesting reads that way.
In my opinion, reviews are there to help others pick out their personal tidbits from the growing buffet of desirable looking delicacies.
In my goodreads reviews I always try to point out what worked for me and what didn’t, and I try to be as clear as possible about the reasons for either.
(I’ve been told several times that even authors find that kind of reviews helpful)
On the other hand, I think of myself as a critical reader. I think I can admire a well-written book even if it doesn’t meet my personal taste. I’ve rated books four stars because I admired the writer’s honesty, or their imagination, or the way they toyed with the language, even though I didn’t like the story. And I tend to get annoyed at inconsistencies, at logical breaks and things that are improbable even in a fantasy setting. I hate bad worldbuilding, and beyond all, I hate it if I catch the author at sloppiness. Nobody can know everything. But when a writer obviously hasn’t done his or her homework, throwing me out of the story with badly researched facts, I just feel cheated.
Then again, a five star book to me doesn’t need to be perfectly written. It just needs to sweep me away and take me out of my own world. If this happens, I tend to forgive even those very things I ranted about above.
I agree with everything you wrote feliz, I think I am a similar reader to you! 😀
Something that disturbs me a lot is inconsistensies in characterization, when a character is behaving in a way that just doesn’t add up.
Feliz
>>In my opinion, reviews are there to help others pick out their personal tidbits from the growing buffet of desirable looking delicacies.<< What a nice way of putting it. I must remember that for next time. :) >>In my goodreads reviews I always try to point out what worked for me and what didn’t, and I try to be as clear as possible about the reasons for either.<< Most of my reviews have both positives and negatives unless a book really has no negatives, which is not as rare as you may think. 🙂 No one likes a sloppily written book - that turns me off more than most things. But for me, above all the characterizations have to work or the book is a non starter. Good information Feliz on the information you normally look for in a book.
The type of books I love: some angst (but not too much because pity parties tend to suck if they’re too long), menages don’t bother me but I definitely don’t like the books where 3 people end up as HEA (does this really happen?), nerd + hot guy stories, and my most favorite favorite? In-the-closet cop romances! James Buchanan’s Brandon? Josh Lanyon’s Jake? That’s some great stuff.
I am not fond of most best friends-turn-lovers stories, I don’t like most vampire/werewolf books (with a HUGE HUGE exception to JR Ward’s series because, OMG, Butch and V…hot stuff!), cannot stand Big Misunderstanding’s (reminds me of Three’s Company, that’s how silly I think it is).
But if I was to review a book, I could be forgiving on just about anything despite my tastes if the author has taken the time to build up the characters and their story lines. That’s why my preferred books are usually novel-length and my most favorite stories are books that run 400+ pages. I hate short stories (under 100 pages) and won’t bother reading them, even if I typically love the author. For me, there’s no room in a short story to build up those characters/story lines to my satisfaction (the exception – again – being if the short story is simply a fun follow-up to a previously released novel).
Hi Angel
Sorry it took me so long to respond but sometimes RL takes precedence. 🙂
>>The type of books I love: some angst (but not too much because pity parties tend to suck if they’re too long), menages don’t bother me but I definitely don’t like the books where 3 people end up as HEA (does this really happen?)<< I'm with you on too much angst. Sometimes my chest hurts because it's too much, although I must say that Tere Michaels can write angst really, really well. re M/M/M, I did read a couple of posts on K.Z's blog over a year ago about couples (or maybe it was just one couple) who actually lived together as a menage for years, so I guess it does really happen in real life. With regard to your preference for longer books, you should check out Manifold Press, a new British publisher, because all of their books are novel length and one is even over 400 pages. I'm afraid I don't go for books over 250 pages and I rarely make exceptions (Cut and Run being one exception) and I do love novellas. I don't know, I think there's lots of room for character growth and plot development in the hands of a skilfull author - Josh Lanyon being one of them and Jordan C. Price is another. However, I do agree that the 20 page book is really only a fun add on and not really a complete story. Thanks for commenting Angel.
Oh boy, I would be TERRIBLE at reviews. I read too much from my gut, from my emotions, and I think you have to get your head in there someplace in order to write a decent review. I think you have to be aware of what is and isn’t working for you, and why. As an author, I do like those reviews that state that (thank you, Feliz, you are correct about that!). Although, I don’t read reviews in order to decide whether or not to buy. Every time I’ve ever done that, no matter how closely I think that person’s opinion aligns with mine, I end up being disappointed in some way. I pick books to buy based solely on whether or not they sound interesting to me, via the blurb and/or excerpt. I read reviews of my own books, when I find them, and I sometimes read reviews of books I’ve aleady read just to see if the reviewer liked/hated it as much as I did 🙂
Am I forgiving/critical/somewhere in between? It depends. I always say that, don’t I, Wave? LOL. I tend to be hyper-critical of all things medical-related, because that’s what I know. I think I’m unfair that way sometimes, actually, but there you go. I’m pretty up front about that and I don’t un-recommend a book based solely on some medical fact the author got wrong. If they got a BUNCH of stuff wrong, or if there are a lot of other problems, that’s different.
I don’t have any “type” of book I like or dislike all the time, except that I don’t care for BDSM (other than light playing around) and I get bored with all sex and no plot. I do need a good plot, although I’m not particular about what KIND of plot. And I don’t really care how often the characters get it on or when they start doing it, as long as it fits the characters. Don’t try to tell me Mr. Terrified Virgin is going to go home with the first man he meets and be all confident and lusty all night long, cuz I won’t buy it. And don’t tell me Mr. Man-Slut Of The Year is going to suddenly turn into Victor Virtuous and decide to save himself for after they both say the “L” word, just because he’s now met the guy we the readers happen to know is Mr. Right. I won’t buy that one either.
Okay, I am rambling, ha, sorry 🙂 This is an interesting topic, thank you!
Hi Ally
>>I think you have to be aware of what is and isn’t working for you, and why. As an author, I do like those reviews that state that (thank you, Feliz, you are correct about that!). << Many of the reviewers on the site do indicate what worked and what didn't. We try not to make those the focus of the review though because many times a book is much more than what worked or didn't work. I always try to look beyond that for things like whether the author managed to keep me engaged throughout and if I fell in love with the characters. Although I love books with a lot of plot (which is why paranormals turn me on) the characters have to be well drawn. >>I tend to be hyper-critical of all things medical-related, because that’s what I know. << Ally if an author is going to write a book with someone who has a serious medical condition and doesn't research the injury or disease, then they deserve to be criticized. As you recall, I have emailed you many times when I read about miraculous recoveries from death's door after one day in the hospital and having vigorous sex. REALLY?? As for the amount of sex in a book, there should at least be some conversation and maybe other activities outside the bedroom, a bit of plot, and the characters should be in tune with each other, whether it's in lust or in love. I have to love the characters. I love sex in books but there has to be something else to go with it. A sandwich maybe. LOL
See, I generally solve this problem by just not reviewing books unless I would actually encourage someone to spend money on them.
As far as likes and dislikes–it’s so hard to box myself in, because it varies wildly. Characterization is consistently the one thing that will make or break a book for me. If the author makes me care about the characters enough, I want to know everything. I want to know what they have for breakfast, what they talk about while they have breakfast, and who cleans up the dishes *after* breakfast. However, if the entirety of the plot centers around breakfast and everyone’s feelings about it, I may very well decide I don’t really need to know what kind of syrup they eat on their pancakes. Breakfast needs to have something to do with the plot. Everything needs to have something to do with the plot, whether directly or indirectly. And pancakes had better somehow advance it. And yes, it needs to eventually make sense.
Whether or not I care if there’s sex also depends. In truth, I get a little bored with a blow-by-blow (pause for the inner-teenager snickering) every twenty-fifth page or so–*unless* it involves character exposition through sex, which some authors do wonderfully well. I couldn’t care less if two characters I otherwise want to smack have sex or not, in fact, I’d rather they didn’t, unless it advances something important.
It’s so varied and subjective, and not at all predictable. There are some more mainstream m/m books that have large fan-bases and respectable sales, but that have such disturbing subtext I can’t even finish the series. There are other more obscure books, some even self-published, that I would pay twice the money for. And yes, there are books that I can’t say I liked but would recommend very highly. Maria McCann’s ‘As Meat Loves Salt’ is one of these. Amazing writing, involving plot, riveting characters, and all too believable–I wouldn’t have traded the experience of having read it for anything, but I’ll never pick it up again because it was so disturbing (in a too-real-to-life way, not an icky-subtext way) and I would highly recommend it to others, and have. (Seriously–if you haven’t read it yet, go buy it now. But let me know if you want a spoilery warning. 😉
I have, thus far, reviewed Jordan Castillo Price, Clare London and Jesse Hajicek on my journal, and plan to review Josh Lanyon, Ginn Hale, Manna Francis, among others–all of them only because I like them. But the reasons I liked them are way too varied to follow a formula. I tell people what I liked, why I liked it, what kind of made me lift an eyebrow, and whether or not I think that’s the author’s fault or my own. But I don’t think I could do that in a general way that would encompass all of the things I read in order to come up with a ‘this is the kind of book I like’ template.
I’m not too sure how forgiving I am. I hate having to edit grammar in my head while I’m reading, but if the story is good enough, I might put up with it. I wouldn’t recommend it to someone else, though. If the writing is good but the characters are unredeemable idiots, I still might put up with it, but again, I wouldn’t recommend it to another. If there is something that pushes my personal ack!-button, but is simply part of the story and entirely within the reality of the characters, well, I just have to get over it, and yes, I’d still recommend it. Because getting mad at the author for not writing the book I wanted them to is just appallingly entitled, and horribly unfair. I have every right to be disappointed, and every right to dislike the book, but none of that’s the author’s responsibility, and I wouldn’t dream of ‘blaming’ them for it.
See? Too many variables. I have probably been absolutely no help at all, alas. But thank you for letting me blather anyway. 🙂
Hi Carole
Thanks for responding.
>>As far as likes and dislikes–it’s so hard to box myself in, because it varies wildly. << I'm exactly the opposite which is what makes every single reader different and authors should take note of that. We can't all love the same books so it doesn't really matter if one reader criticizes your book (except for crappy writing and poor characterization) generally there will be someone who will love it. >>Characterization is consistently the one thing that will make or break a book for me. << This is where we agree totally. If I don't love a character it's hard for me to love a book. >>Breakfast needs to have something to do with the plot. Everything needs to have something to do with the plot, whether directly or indirectly. And pancakes had better somehow advance it.<< LOL Can breakfast not just be breakfast and nothing else? 🙂 I don't care what they eat - I know the characters have to eat and I've read some wonderful books that centred around food, but I'm reading one now with an FBI Special Agent who cooks all the time and is so picky about everything including chopping the vegetables, and it just seems fake to me. I think the writer fancies herself as a chef. 🙂 I read As Meat Loves Salt and I understand what you mean. I will never read it again even though it's such a well written book. I didn't enjoy it. We all have our hot buttons and one of mine is too much sex for the plot. I love sex in an erotic book but it has to make sense and very few authors can write sex scene after sex scene and make them interesting. Jordan Castillo Price is one and I will always remember what she said when I asked her how is it that her sex scenes are so hot and it doesn't matter how many she has in a book I can't put it down. She said "because the sex is always about something else - never about the sex alone."
You know, I just realized how rude it was of me to just pop in here and start yakking without taking the time to compliment you on what you do. I only just discovered your site a few months ago, and some of your recs have already contributed to a bit of a bulge in my Amazon wishlist. I appreciate what you do very much, so thank you.
Now, I know some of the stuff in your response above was rhetorical, but there are a couple of things I wanted to respond to:
>>We can’t all love the same books so it doesn’t really matter if one reader criticizes your book (except for crappy writing and poor characterization) generally there will be someone who will love it.<>Can breakfast not just be breakfast and nothing else?<>I read As Meat Loves Salt and I understand what you mean. I will never read it again even though it’s such a well written book. I didn’t enjoy it.<>She said “because the sex is always about something else – never about the sex alone.”<<
Yes. That. Exactly. And she does it brilliantly. Because, at the same time, she makes it very… guy-ish. On the surface, it's 'hey, I'm horny, c'mere,' and yet beneath it, it's, 'I need this, I can't say the things I need to say, so understand it through this'. She keeps it all very in-character, and yet gets across to the reader all of the things that would be horribly out-of-character for the character to actually say out loud. (Damn it, now I want to go drag out the PsyCop books again.)
Thanks again. This has been really fun. 🙂
Okay, never mind. Maybe I just talk to much. I promise, my responses were brilliant! 😉
LOL
Carole
>>You know, I just realized how rude it was of me to just pop in here and start yakking without taking the time to compliment you on what you do. I only just discovered your site a few months ago, and some of your recs have already contributed to a bit of a bulge in my Amazon wishlist. I appreciate what you do very much, so thank you.<< We love it when readers come back again and again because that means we're doing something right, so no worries. 🙂 sorry about the book buying. Most of the readers who frequent this site complain abouot the same thing. as you will have gathered, Jordan is one of my favourite authors. I've read all her books and can't wait for PsyCop #6. Her men are MEN - no doubt about it. I'm glad you had fun with the post. 🙂
I’m a stickler for grammar, spelling, and good writing. I find I have no patience for writers who don’t have a very good editor so I am most critical on those stories that have poor grammar/structure and use flowery language, epitaphs, and abuse adjectives.
My main focus is always characters and character development so I am very forgiving on plot and action. If I can relate to a character and really understand their motivations/desires and I really believe in what they do. Flat characters (even secondary characters) will make me dislike an otherwise interesting book.
My only requirement with plot is that it be reasonable. I like for characters to respond in a reasonable manner and for the action to be believable. If something stretches reality or too many crazy things stack up, I lose interest. (I mean reality in the loosest of terms).
That being said, there are books that I love with flat characters and not-so-great writing but that unknown quality that draws you in and keeps you interested.
>>I’m a stickler for grammar, spelling, and good writing. I find I have no patience for writers who don’t have a very good editor so I am most critical on those stories that have poor grammar/structure and use flowery language, epitaphs, and abuse adjectives. <<
Ditto. In my field, we are trained to write concisely, precisely and, above all, clearly. One of my biggest pet peeves is misplaced modifiers. The opening sentence of a book I began reading two days ago made that mistake; it was almost enough to make me put it back down and step away quietly.
Instead, I think I’m going to start making a list of sentences with misplaced modifiers. Then one day when I’m really bored, I’ll post them with the explanation of what they truly say and what they’re (probably) meant to say. It ought to be good for a laugh or two. 🙂
I will most readily admit, though, that the vast majority of the books I’ve read in this genre have been entertaining and engaging. To me, that’s the most crucial test for a writer; the rest can/should be learned/fixed in editing.
Buda
>>Instead, I think I’m going to start making a list of sentences with misplaced modifiers. Then one day when I’m really bored, I’ll post them with the explanation of what they truly say and what they’re (probably) meant to say. It ought to be good for a laugh or two<< Please do, because I'm running out of ideas for my Friday rants and I would like you to pull your weight in that area please. LOL
You always want more, don’t you, Wave? lol We’ll see what I can come up with in January.
You have committed to January, 2011, all I need now is a date. LOL
Things are looking up – first the engagement, then the ring. 😉
Nolagal
>>I’m a stickler for grammar, spelling, and good writing. I find I have no patience for writers who don’t have a very good editor so I am most critical on those stories that have poor grammar/structure and use flowery language, epitaphs, and abuse adjectives. << I'm totally with you there. If an author and his/her editors can't be bothered to check the spelling and grammar they can expect that I will mention it in my review. One of the worst cases I came across a few months ago was an author who misspelled prostate throughout her book. How can you be an M/M author and not know the difference between "prostrate" and "prostate." >>My main focus is always characters and character development so I am very forgiving on plot and action.<< I can agree partly because for me the characterizations are extremely important, but plots matter a lot too because my logical mind refuses to accept some things. Recently I was reading a book that was a contemporary and all of a sudden there were paranormal elements and men with huge swords. I was rolling on the floor howling with laughter. However this book garnered several 5's on Goodreads so once again I was in the doghouse. LOL
I would not be a good reviewer because I am easy to please. A story grabs or it doesn’t. Not being a native English speaker grammar mistakes don’t bother me at all. Because I don’t catch them, only thing I will notice is the use of a wrong name.
As for the story settings and tropes I have a few favourites but I will read everything if I think I will like the story.
I read for my entertainment not to put all my hours of English teaching to work.
Ingrid
>>I would not be a good reviewer because I am easy to please. A story grabs or it doesn’t<< since you're reading for pleasure it doesn't matter. You know what you like and that's the important thing. We all read for entertainment I hope, but if you're reviewing a book I guess you have to at least tell the other readers why you liked it, or not. 🙂
That’s an awful lot of questions, Wave!
I do like to write reviews on Goodreads, but purely in the spirit of helping other readers to work out if they’re likely to enjoy a book. Consequently, if there are things I didn’t enjoy and that affected my rating I do try to explain why, as those could be the very things that would draw another reader to the story.
I am a very critical reader – I suppose many writers are as we are used to looking for errors in our own writing so we get super-attuned to seeing them in others. It probably doesn’t help that I took an English lit degree so I’m used to picking apart pieces of writing. However, if I think something is poorly written I just give up on it and don’t post a review at all. Usually I can weed these books out from the excerpts, so I don’t come across many.
Things I love? I’ll tolerate all sorts if I feel like I’m in the hands of a good writer. If their style, their voice, carries me away then I’ll even read werewolves, vampires and high fantasy (probably my least favourite sub-genres). I’m not overly fond of too much angst – I prefer a good dose of comedy to writing that takes itself too seriously. What I particularly enjoy, though, are paranormal themes (especially psychic phenomena), science-fiction (especially cyberpunk), contemporary, menage and polyamory, and mysteries. I’m less excited by thrillers and cowboys, but so long as there’s a focus on interesting characters I’ll give them a go.
And I know I’ve said it before, but I do like there to be hot sex woven into the fabric of the story. So long as it needs to be there it’s a real plus point. Extra points if it’s the smokin’, sweaty, urgent kind ;D
Most important of all, though – I want to feel that the characters have developed and been changed by their experiences. I want them to come out of the novel as a better person than when they started. If that isn’t there, then all the humorous dialogue, hot sex and psychic phenomena won’t make it a five star read for me.
Josephine
>>That’s an awful lot of questions, Wave! << I know. I got carried away. Sorry! :) >>Most important of all, though – I want to feel that the characters have developed and been changed by their experiences. I want them to come out of the novel as a better person than when they started. If that isn’t there, then all the humorous dialogue, hot sex and psychic phenomena won’t make it a five star read for me.<< I agree but sometimes the characters start out fully evolved and the authors write an action adventure,high intensity, plot intensive book for those readers who love those stories and to them it's a 5 star read. I read two books by Geoff Knight that fit that description perfectly and I loved them and rated them as 5 stars because they were incredible adventures. Sometimes a book is just wonderful fun and the characters are secondary to the plot, even though they are still important. That's just my perspective because I love this type of book. >>m not overly fond of too much angst – I prefer a good dose of comedy to writing that takes itself too seriously. What I particularly enjoy, though, are paranormal themes << I'm with you totally there. Angst can be taken to extremes. I try to read for enjoyment but if there's too much angst my mind wanders. One of the reasons I love paranormals is because there's not too much angst in this theme - they are too busy shifting. LOL >>And I know I’ve said it before, but I do like there to be hot sex woven into the fabric of the story. So long as it needs to be there it’s a real plus point. Extra points if it’s the smokin’, sweaty, urgent kind ;D << I agree with the hot smoking kind of sex but what about the dull, limp, repetitive kind that we seem to get a lot of in M/M? It seems that the authors have run out of imagination and just copy everyone else. I know there are only so many ways to have sex but gawd let's have a little variety.
I agree with the hot smoking kind of sex but what about the dull, limp, repetitive kind that we seem to get a lot of in M/M?
There’s definitely a problem if it’s limp… ;D
Actually, I haven’t read much of this sort of sex scene, but then I’m pretty choosy about what I’ll read. I did read some fairly boring m/m erotic short stories recently, though. I got the feeling that a lot of them were written by writers having their first try at m/m. There was a lot of finger counting and naming of right and left limbs (who thinks about that when they’re having sex?), although surprisingly few mentions of condoms or lube…
Jo
>>There’s definitely a problem if it’s limp… ;D << I thought you might pick up on that line. :) >>Actually, I haven’t read much of this sort of sex scene, but then I’m pretty choosy about what I’ll read << When you're reviewing you can't be that choosy. You take the good, bad and indifferent and you never know what you'll get until you crack open the covers. :( >>I did read some fairly boring m/m erotic short stories recently, though. I got the feeling that a lot of them were written by writers having their first try at m/m.<< Because M/M is so hot right now it's fairly easy to make it. Publishers want the sales, and many het authors are writing M/M without really doing the research. My biggest problem is with authors who have switched to M/M, because they have to unlearn everything they knew about "romance" and sex and they should stop dusting off their het plots and using them for M/M. Guys don't act like women most of the time, and sometimes the internal dialogue in the stories as well as the actual sex scenes drive me crazy because the guys in the stories are so inept. My gay friends laugh a lot when I ask their opinions about some of the more ridiculous sex scenes, and they wonder how the authors made it into being published. 🙂
These are great questions, Wave, and some really interesting responses from people.
Like Josephine, I come from a background where my degree is in English Lit and I taught high school English for nearly 10 years. This means that when I look at a book for reviewing purposes I do focus on the way it is written and whether it works for me or not – after all that is the way I used to ask my pupils to approach their own reading and writing. Thus I look at narrative structure and voice, the way that the story hangs together, use of various literary techniques such as flashbacks or withholding information, the way that an author uses words to paint a picture in my mind, and so on. An author who can excel in the above, who I can see is doing something clever or who surprises me, will often get a good review from me, even if I didn’t always like the plot. Reviewing has certainly made me a more objective reader in a way because I have to work out why a book isn’t working for me, what it is about the writing that means I find it dull or the writing clunky. Before I reviewed I would just dismiss it as ‘bad writing’. Now I have to explain why to my readers because it not enough to say ‘the writing is bad’ I need to say why. Sometimes that’s quite difficult!
Having said that, I’m well aware that some readers just don’t care about those things as much as I do. Some readers are only interested in the emotions of a story, whether they are enjoying it and whether they like the characters. That’s just as valid as my point of view, and I do care about that as well. After all if you can’t understand a character’s motivations or just plain hate them then it’s not going to be a book to recommend to others. Same with the plot. If there are huge plot holes then that annoys me. I find though that I can be forgiving of most things in terms of plotting if the writing is good and I’m engaged with the characters – even things that usually annoy me like insta-love or the BM can work for me in the right context.
Mostly, though, as you have said, reading is subjective and if for whatever reason I don’t like a book, there’s sure to many, many other readers/reviewers who do.
Jen
Reviewing is one of the more difficult fun pastimes – worse than trying to play golf. LOL
>>when I look at a book for reviewing purposes I do focus on the way it is written and whether it works for me or not – after all that is the way I used to ask my pupils to approach their own reading and writing. Thus I look at narrative structure and voice, the way that the story hangs together, use of various literary techniques such as flashbacks or withholding information, the way that an author uses words to paint a picture in my mind, and so on.<< If we (and I include myself of course) can compromise and write a review that we can be proud of, while at the same time not scare the readers away, then we would have done a great job. >>Having said that, I’m well aware that some readers just don’t care about those things as much as I do. Some readers are only interested in the emotions of a story, whether they are enjoying it and whether they like the characters. That’s just as valid as my point of view, and I do care about that as well.<< I think what we all have to strive for is balance. We have to be true to what we believe in, but at the same time we need to be cognisant of the perspective of the reader who will be skimming the review for the things that are important to them, not to us. We all like to think that other readers will read every word we write but they only care about what THEY want in order to make a "buy" decision. I try to do this sometimes >>Could you try to put yourself in the shoes of a reader whose likes/dislikes were exactly opposite to yours and point out some of the ‘positives’ that you hated?<< I'm not always successful but I find that if I try to be more intuitive about what other readers are looking for it makes me a better reviewer.
Wave, ever though about having a weekly “what we are reading” post where one could post informally about books one have just read? I know I could never write reviews, even if I have a lot of opinions and read a lot, since my english is not good enough and I am not a good writer.
That’s a great suggestion Sunshine. Just let’s first finish the changes to the site and I’ll get back to you (or you can email me) about how something like this would work. But please give me at least a couple of weeks until all of the site changes are completed.
Great post Wave as always. I do post reviews on Amazon, although I do not really think of them as reviews, I think of them as my opinions of the books, which may be helpful to the readers that may share my tastes. Seriously, the only reason I started doing was because I am the kind of reader who LOVES talking about the books, arguing, discussing, debating, etc and as I said of course I hope that some readers may find them helpful (or not.
What factors do I consider when rating a book? Definitely plot and characterization first and foremost and in this genre chemistry between characters, how hot they are together on opage and by that I do not just mean how hot they are in bed.(since this is the only genre I worked up a nerve on to ever make my opinions public lol (besides Harry Potter lol.
As to specific tropes, well as you said, review is first and foremost one oerson’s subjective opinion of the book, so I TRY (of course I am not perfect and not always manage) to not let my dislike of specific trope colour my opinion of the book and to be honest I do not like when reviewers do that. Like to me it is one thing when you review the book with Big Misunderstanding which makes characters look like an idiots and point out why (let’s be honest in 95% they do look like idiots IMO). But if you would say that simply because there is a Big Misunderstanding in the book and that is why book gets lower rating from you, I would give such review less weight and would go and research more to decide whether to buy such book or not. Does that make sense? This is just how I make decisions for myself, obviously every reviewer decides what to highlight in the book and it is their decision.
Like for example, the only trope I will not ever touch and would be mad as hell if I read the book with it without knowing that is in the book is “I rape you, you fall in love with me and we will live happily ever after”. HATE it passion, absolutely hate it. However, I once read a book and even finished it which had such trope in spades. Did I like? Oh man, I get angry every time this book is mentioned, so much I hated it. However, I also thought that the world building was good, plot interesting, characters are multidimensional, etc. So I gave the book four stars while did not hold back in describing my emotional reactions to it. Again, it is not that reviewers are obligated to follow my personal tastes, I just feel that while being subjective, it is still nice when reviewer acknowledges that while he may dislike the trope, the book was still well done. I hope I am making sense here.
What I rarely mention in my reviews is language problems, because I feel that it will be very hypocritical of me to do so, since I know that my reviews can be rambling, can have grammar mistakes, awkward sentences, etc.
However, there are instances when yes, I want to do a headdesk and ask who the heck was editing this thing and how it got published. Then I will mention language issues, because if they are so bad that they jerk ESL reader out of the story, well I figure other readers deserve to know about them and decide for themselves.
Sirius
>>As to specific tropes, well as you said, review is first and foremost one person’s subjective opinion of the book, so I TRY (of course I am not perfect and not always manage) to not let my dislike of specific trope colour my opinion of the book and to be honest I do not like when reviewers do that.<< One of the things I always try to be in my reviews is honest, and I say upfront how I rated a book. Also, whenever I give the pros and cons of what I liked/didn't like about a book I try to provide examples. It's not wrong to say you hate a particular trope or plot, because sometimes some of the plots are so silly it would be difficult for any sensible person to find much to like about them. But if the characterizations are brilliant, then of course I would still recommend the book. I can divorce myself from themes I'm not fond of if the writing is exceptional. For example, Faith & Fidelity by Tere Michaels was so angst filled I waited a long time before I read it, and when I did I was sad through most of the book. However, the writing, plot and characterizations were brilliant IMO and so I rated the book as DIK. There are many themes I don't care for and most of the time I avoid reading/reviewing these books. One of my favourite authors sent me a book to review about 6 months ago with dubious consent and references to incest. I still haven't been able to bring myself to read the book which is probably well written and a good story. Many books are poorly edited because there just aren't enough experienced editors to go around, even if the publishers were willing to hire them, so reviewers have the unenviable task of pointing out all the editing, spelling and grammatical errors and everyone gets pissed at us for doing so. If you're going to charge for a book at least have it 98% error free. 🙁
Of course it is not wrong to say what you (generic you not you Wave) disliked in the book and why. In fact I want the reviewer to tell me that, I just do not like (and again it is my personal preference as one reader that is all) when reviewer tells me – oh the book was brilliant, characterizations, writing, plot, etc, but it was too depressing for me so book gets low grade. Funny you mention how you graded Faith and fidelity so high (which I think is totally deserving) despite the fact that you do not like angst. I applaud you for that, because yes, if there is a silly plot device in the book which in reviewer’s opinion worked detrimentally and harmed plot and characterizations, sure grade it lower. I just do not see why book has to suffer if reviewer herlself acknowledges it was brilliant, just too depressing for her. By the way, when I type it, I am thinking about very specific review and very specific book and it was not published here Wave, I am just venting here about it. Sorry!
And agreed about grammar and characterizations, it is just more about me when I do not mention it often, only when it is overwhelmingly bad. Like when the character “kisses a look” on another character’s face among other brilliantly constructed sentences, I cannot ignore that. But for the most part, if I am still able to enjoy the story, I do, as I said I know I have to get over it, because even if my review somewhat awkwardly written, I am not the one who publishes books for which readers have to pay, so I would think the requirements to keep up with grammar should be higher for published authors. One day I will get over it. One day 🙂
Sirius
As a reviewer I do try to be fair and balanced and where I feel that I really cannot do a book justice I recuse myself from reviewing it.
I had a book recently that I was looking forward to reviewing because the theme and the author were both favourites but when I started reading the book I knew that I couldn’t review it. Why? Because I recognized that the time period in which the book was set would include references to race that I could not, in all conscience, overlook. So someone else reviewed the book and it received 5 stars which it richly deserved. I would have given it the same rating (I did finish it eventually) but if I had reviewed it the review would have been all about me, not the book, which is not what reviewing is all about. The author knows BTW, and she and I had a very nice discussion about the appropriateness of the use of racial epithets in historical romances when other words would work just as well.
Reviewers can divorce themselves from a topic and theme 95% of the time but if I feel that my judgement could affect my rating of a book I usually don’t review it.
On the subject of editorial errors, poor grammar etc., only the publishers and the authors can correct this. If we continue to hold them accountable hopefully this would give them an incentive to do so.
Hey Wave
I do occasionally write little reviews, which are actually just a paragraph or two of commentary from me about the book. If I don’t like a book you’ll never hear it from my lips. : ) For a multitude of reasons, one being that as an author, I never love to hear someone didn’t like one of mine, and since I believe you shouldn’t put anything out there you don’t want coming back to you…that one’s a no brainer. Also, since reviews are slanted toward personal tastes, if I dislike it, I assume it’s on me. (See there – contrary to what you may think, I really don’t believe the entire world revolves around just me.) That whole personal taste thing works both ways, which is why getting a bad review doesn’t make me want to run out and leap off the nearest bridge. It might bum me out, but I’m pretty good – delusional – and don’t usually take bad feedback to heart.
I don’t write up commentary for every book that I read and love, because…seriously…who has the time. But if I like a book, I give it a five…mainly because I enjoy and know what it feels like to get them, lol.
Ethan
>>If I don’t like a book you’ll never hear it from my lips. : ) For a multitude of reasons, one being that as an author, I never love to hear someone didn’t like one of mine, and since I believe you shouldn’t put anything out there you don’t want coming back to you…that one’s a no brainer.<< so, no matter how crappy the book you'll still say, if asked, that it was a wonderful read? That is so dishonest E. :) How can other readers trust you after that. When they ask me about your books I always tell them my truth, even though you might hate me for it. ;-) You'll never get hired to write reviews here because we're a tough bunch. LOL >>But if I like a book, I give it a five…mainly because I enjoy and know what it feels like to get them, lol.<< You crack me up even when you're trying to be semi serious. You have had more than your share of 5's, deserved or not. ;-) I'll never let you know who review your books because he'll give them 10 stars. >>That whole personal taste thing works both ways, which is why getting a bad review doesn’t make me want to run out and leap off the nearest bridge<< Famous last words. 🙂
“so, no matter how crappy the book you’ll still say, if asked, that it was a wonderful read? That is so dishonest E.”
NO!!! I’ll just pretend I never read it!! : ) So yes…it is dishonest. But in a no one gets hurt kinda way. : )
Does that really surprise you? You know I prefer laughs to drama. : )
And you know from experience that a less than flattering review won’t run me off. I’m like a common cold without a cure. Once you’ve come down with a case of Ethan you’re stuck with it for life!
Ahhhh…lucky you! LOL!
Well I was considering you to fill a vacancy but you’re not qualified. LOL all of your friends will get 5 stars on their books and the rest won’t be reviewed. Just don’t pass on your philosophy to TJ and Buda – they are hard enough to handle as it is. 🙂
I’m a tough reviewer. I have pretty high standards which, I think, get steeper the more m/m I read. Rather than get disenchanted from the rising levels of low-quality work being published out there, I think I have come to expect, or at least hope, for more from each book I open. I haven’t written any reviews for a few years now. I spent 4 years critiquing stories on paper and in person in college, where I got a writing degree. And let me tell you, no matter how good or bad my own work was, those years were and exercise in patience and diplomacy 🙂
But lately, the more I’ve been reading your site Wave and enjoying the reviews, I’ve noticed myself comparing my thoughts against the reviewers. One thing that really bothers me is the three-quarters plot point review. By this I mean when three-quarters of the review are the set-up of the story (which I love to see in the review) and then a point by point discourse on the first half of the book. There might not be spoilers and you might have been able to find out the same in the book description, but I like to go into reading a book with as much of a blank slate as possible. I see this quite a lot, and I’m sure it doesn’t bother everybody, but it turns me away from the beginning. Amazon is notorious for this. I think more room should be left for the meat of the review. I always try to be unbiased and fair, which is why I never review BDSM and rarely read it, after a book made me so emotionally upset I had to stay away from the sub-genre for several months. I also am a gay man who will read and enjoy sex romps, but who really loves emotional romances. In the end, I enjoy just about anything depending on my mood (I also have a soft spot for gay male witches).
I think the main question I always ask myself while reading a book is if I felt the author gavetheir very best effort, their 110% on all aspects of the book. Is the editing terrible? Is the pace rushed toward the end (as if the author were eager to wrap up and start another story)? Are there inconsistencies? I think that the care the author shows towards his or her work is proportionate to how much the reader will care, and if the author doesn’t, why should I?
For me, I seriously consider reading works that garner a 4 or more (I always read fives). If they get a 4 or less, I will read them depending on the review, author, or sub-genre. As far as reviewing, I think it is important for the reviewer to exain their thoughts as to how they pertain to them. We get to know reviewers over time, by reading their thoughts and opinions in correlation to ours. It is enough to say that you feel a certain way about a book, but why you feel that way says more.
xo
Cole
Hi Cole
I just saw this response – I don’t always get notified by WP so I apologise for the late reply.
>>But lately, the more I’ve been reading your site Wave and enjoying the reviews, I’ve noticed myself comparing my thoughts against the reviewers. One thing that really bothers me is the three-quarters plot point review. << Every so often I ask the readers if they would like us to do different types of reviews because I know that our reviews are much longer than the norm on other review sites. They have come back with a resounding 'no'. Apparently they like the format. However I see where you're coming from. One of the changes we made last time around was a summary sentence so that if readers didn't want to go any further than the rating and the summary they could stop right there. Also we are now indicating if there is any possibility of spoilers in the reviews (sometimes it's really difficult to write a review without spoilers). We're all learning as we go along, and everyone's style is different. >>I think the main question I always ask myself while reading a book is if I felt the author gave their very best effort, their 110% on all aspects of the book. Is the editing terrible? Is the pace rushed toward the end (as if the author were eager to wrap up and start another story)? Are there inconsistencies? I think that the care the author shows towards his or her work is proportionate to how much the reader will care, and if the author doesn’t, why should I?<< I'm 100% with you there. Although I'm not the toughest reviewer on the site (I probably rate books a little higher than the other reviewers) I'm always aggravated by the rushed endings, especially with novellas. One would think that 100 - 150 pages would be enough for an author to structure a book so that the ending is credible but 90% of them don't and end up rushing through the last 10 - 20 pages which leaves the reader feeling as if the book was cut off 3/4 of the way through. As for the editing, that's atrocious almost throughout the publishing industry, not just epublishing. When I buy a print book and find it 10 - 20% full of errors or holes in the story I just want to throw the book against the wall. >>As far as reviewing, I think it is important for the reviewer to explain their thoughts as to how they pertain to them. We get to know reviewers over time, by reading their thoughts and opinions in correlation to ours. It is enough to say that you feel a certain way about a book, but why you feel that way says more.<< I think we all try to some degree to explain our ratings but sometimes we expect the readers to figure this out from the narrative. Everyone's style is different and the types of books we love are also different and I might rate a book as 5 stars because I love the theme - a rating that you might feel is undeserving. I personally will try in future to explain my ratings more explicitly. Thanks for some very interesting observations Cole.
Hey Wave,
Thanks for the reply. I’m not sure if you took my comments this way, but in case you did I wanted to clarify that everything in my post that I mentioned bothered me about reviews I very rarely see on your site. You have the best reviews and reviewers on the net. Also, that bit about the length of your reviews compared to other sites … That’s one of the things I love about the reviews here.
I also wanted to say how much I appreciate how dedicated you are to the site. You always make sure everyone’s visit here is a good one. It make this a welcoming place 🙂
Cole
Hello Cole
It always helps to know that we’re doing something right, although there’s a lot of room for improvement as with everything else. All of the reviewers do this job in between their very busy lives and I am most appreciative of what they do. Some can only review one book a week and others three but what I love best is the effort they put into it. I’m a slow reader, mainly because I don’t want to miss an important plot point or misread elements in the story, so I may not be able to pull my weight every week but in those situations someone else always picks me up. 🙂
>>You always make sure everyone’s visit here is a good one. It make this a welcoming place << Thank you Cole - I do appreciate that comment. 🙂 BTW and this is a serious comment, if at any time you would like to review for the site please email me. The site needs excellent reviewers and this requirement will only increase as the numbers of M/M books increase exponentially.
I’ve read, agreed with and enjoyed so many of these posts.
I have now decided that what I want to write is more of a hybrid thing – not a review ( these started to sound a lot like lit crit and I’ve done my time thank you) not an opinion, but more me jumping up and down enthusiastically saying read this, try this, read this!
So, thanks Wave , I have just sent my first hybrid thingy to Amazon.
Raine
I think that’s an excellent idea. This way you get the fun of writing a “review” which is more fun than the kind of review that we do here. Congratulations. 🙂