April 20, 2012

'Riting & Receiving Reviews = R: Blogging from A to Z

Reviews are important to authors and readers alike. Readers can find reviewers they trust and base their to-be-read pile on their recommendations. Authors can get valuable feedback and word-of-mouth advertising, hands down the best way to get other people to read your book is to have unbiased readers touting it.

There are some wonderful review bloggers out there, in addition to the reviewers in magazines in newspapers. Although I must admit, I see very few of those nowadays. If you have any interest in book reviews on lesser-known novels or independently-published ones, you need to find book bloggers.
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I have a review blog, Mom in Love with Fiction, that is primarily dedicated to lesser-known and independently-published books. Since I read anything and everything, I also write reviews of popular titles. I started it simply because I love reading and wanted to share.

As an author, I have great respect for writers who put their books out there for public consumption and review. Before I published, I was a harsher critic. Now, I try to find the good in any given piece while also being honest about my opinions.

What I find the hardest, summarizing why I think someone should read a book. One thing I know for sure from being a longtime book club member, a roomful of people RARELY agree on a book.

Should I summarize the highlights of the book as I see it and give a quick commentary, or mainly write commentary and let them read the back cover for a summary?

As far as receiving reviews, I understand and respect that people have different opinions. But, there are some reviews on Amazon that seem mean-spirited and hateful. You can politely say a book is not for you without calling it awful, stupid, worthless, etc. Just as bad, a one-star review on GoodReads without one word as to why.

I read an article recently that there are "spammers" that go around putting one-star reviews on tons of books to bring the averages down. That's a shame.

What do you look for in a book review to make you want to read a book? Do you ever leave reviews on Amazon or GoodReads?


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Thanks for visiting during R of my A to Z Blogging journey. Please visit other participants here.

Also, a fun giveaway on my review blog. Click HERE for details on how to win a Kindle copy of ReVamped by Ada Adams (4.5 stars). The contest deadline is TODAY, 4/20/12, at 1:00pm EST.

5 comments:

Jack V Sage said...

Just this year I have reviewed one biography, one autobiographical novel and a chapbook. I have a pending review of a vampire novel, as soon as the authors and I can find time to talk. I enjoy promoting good writing, and particularly enjoy works that force the reader to call the status quo into question.

betty said...

Visiting from A/Z; LOL my R was for Review in reviewing a book I had read for Tyndale Publishing's Books for bloggers program. I have read probably a total of 10 books to do reviews for between Tyndale and Book Sneeze. I try to write an honest review, but I can't ever imagine being mean spirited about it, in fact I tend to go the other way and find some positive things to say about the book, but be honest in how I personally felt about it.

enjoy the rest of the challenge!

betty

Tia Bach said...

Donna, Thanks. I'm loving A to Z!

Jack, I so agree about status quo. I love reading all genres, but I don't like forumalic writing.

Betty, I always try to find positives, too. It brings me no pleasure to give a book a 1 star rating. Poor editing will get me before anything else.

Kate @ Teaching What Is Good said...

Can I just say I've been keeping up with your A to Z blogs and have been so impressed with the variety of the things you've been blogging about!! ;-D

Looking forward to Blogathon and having closer contact with you, dear friend!

Tia Bach said...

Kate, You are so sweet. I'm so glad Blogathon brought us together last year, and looking forward to more fun this year!