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Reviews. Do you rely on them? Do you write them?
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Alisa
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Apr 01, 2013 07:59AM
There has been a lof of talk about reviews in the last week due to Amazon buying GR (see thread on that for more details). My question here is do you rely on reviews before you decide to read something? How much of an impact do reviews have on you? Do you write reviews? If so do you write them on everything you read or just certain books?
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I don't rely on them completely but I like to just get a feel of what other people think of the book I'm interested in. When I started using GR I didn't do any reviews but now with the app on my phone making it really easy, I try and do one for every book I read.
I love reviews. They help me get an idea for the book. I started writing them last year, and now I write them on every book I read. I find that it helps me remember what happened in them, especially the ones in series.
I definitely use reviews to help decide if I'm interested in books, especially by a new author. I'll usually try and find at least three - one good, one bad and one neutral. That way I can get a full picture.I write reviews as well, but I started purely out of selfishness - I couldn't always remember why I liked or disliked a book. Now I try to review everything I read and I share those reviews here and on my blog.
I started writing them for that same reason, but now I really like to write them. It helps me sort out my thoughts about the book I just read.
Like Sarah, I don't rely on them completely. However, I do get to know what my GRs friends like and how their rating compares to mine; one friend's 3★ could be my 4★. I do have certain themes within genres that I don't like to read about, so it is good to have my GRs friends mention/warn about them.I did start writing reviews and I am really enjoying that aspect of GRs. It can be fun, especially with a book I've really enjoyed -- like a mini return to the book.
I don't really on them fully but they can definitely influence my decision to buy. I always read a few good reviews and a few bad ones. If the bad ones complain about things that I hate in books then I probably will not buy it. If the reviews praise things that I know I won't like, I'm not buying that either. I writebreviews for almost everything I read, sometimes I don't care enough.
I write reviews for myself. I like to read them, but not until after I have read the book and written my own. I will look at others rating to see what the consensus of peoples thoughts.
I rarely read a review before reading a book but I do occasionally look at my friends ratings to get an impression of what they thought of the book (sometimes read their reviews as well but only those I know won't have spoilers). I read reviews after to see if others had the same opinions or different ones. I also write reviews because I enjoy putting my own views down (it also helps me remember what happened in the book).
Oddly enough, I have been finding myself searching out book reviews once I've already started a new book. I feel like my tastes aren't going to be the exact same thing and I'd rather rely on my interpretation of events rather than someone else's. While I don't write reviews for every single book - I will if the book slaps me in the face and screams "I'm awesome!"I'd actually like to see more reviews about authors and their character's personalities over an entire series rather than one book.
Reviews rarely affect my decisions about books. I will glance at them but like most things, everybody is different and from personal experience I have loathed something that others have loved. I write reviews on goodreads once I finish a book and will post on other sites for Arcs or giveaways because those are to hype up the book, but my reviews are always what I thought without giving anything away, so others can make their own decisions. Mostly my reviews are for me and a few friends who care what I think. The one thing I really don't like is rating of books before you've read it. I'm glad that you put it on your TBR, but rating it 4 stars is to much for me. When I see reviewers do that, I won't read their review because I don't feel it can be trusted.
@Kathy, I meant when it isn't released yet or you have it on the TBR list and it's rated 4 or 5 stars. It doesn't count if you're reading it and decide that it's a 1 because you can't finish it or it's a 5 and you still have 75 pages to go. If you haven't opened the book, I don't think you can rate it, even if you absolutely love the author and can't imagine them writing something you don't like. I mean your rating the story, not the author.
Jacy wrote:"...The one thing I really don't like is rating of books before you've read it. I'm glad that you put it on your TBR, but rating it 4 stars is to much for me. When I see reviewers do that, I won't read their review because I don't feel it can be trusted."I didn't mean this as an attack on anyone! I hope that it wasn't taken that way. I'm just very opinionated and it can sometimes gets me in trouble. It's just a pet peeve of mine is all.
I write reviews on just about everything I read yet I rarely read reviews. I do however, from time to time, skim reviews about a book that has generated a lot of talk yet I felt wouldn't be a good read for me just to see if there's something I might be missing. I almost solely base my decision to read a book on the blurb. I never ever just pick a book for the cover.
@Jacy ~ That's a pet peeve of mine, too. Unless you've (meaning general public here) rec'd an ARC then you have no business reviewing/starring a book before it's release. Also, if you've never cracked the book open you have no business reviewing it. People who put something like this "The last books in this series sucked. I have no intention of reading a book by this author again!" and gives it a 1 piss me off because they haven't even read it.
Its funny you mention buying based on cover alone, I do that all the time. Funnily enough I find that the largest percentage of books I five star are ones that I knew nothing about except loving the cover. Ones I've read reviews for beforehand is about 50/50.
@Stefani ~ I have friends who do that all the time, too. Whatever works for each individual. :) My best ratings come from books with blurbs that got me excited. I've read some great books with shitty covers and read some bad books with gorgeous covers, so I only go with the blurb now.
A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol) wrote: "People who put something like this "The last books in this series sucked. I have no intention of reading a book by this author again!" and gives it a 1 piss me off."**shaking head** People do that?
I do remember one author asking GRs several years ago to remove a review of a book that hadn't gone to the publisher yet. No APC, nothing. But they told her every reviewer had the right to their opinion. I figured the person had the book mixed up with some other title. **shrugs**
@Lisa Kay ~ Yes. I've seen it. Unbelievable.
I started writing reveiws when a couple of different authors asked me to. I tend to read reviews if the synopsis provided by the author doesn't really give me a clue as to what the book is about.
I have no idea how someone can rate a book 4 or 5 stars if they've never read it - it seems dishonest in some way. Even if the author is a favorite, it doesn't warrant rating the book prior to reading - even the best writers can have a dud. I also don't understand someone who rates a book 1 star and then begins their review with - I hate this genre... of course, you aren't going to like the book if you hate the genre!
Lauren wrote: "I have no idea how someone can rate a book 4 or 5 stars if they've never read it - it seems dishonest in some way. Even if the author is a favorite, it doesn't warrant rating the book prior to read..."Very true. I always shake my head and wonder why they reviewed it?
I only write reviews if I have to for a challenge, or I know I'll get that book mixed up with others that are similar. Or I feel compelled in some way. LOL. Definitely NOT a natural writer.If I do bother, usually I'll do a quick precis of the first couple of chapters and how I feel about the characters if it's a new series or new H/h. Don't believe in spoiling the ending for others.
Saying that I'll occasionally read others' reviews if I'm undecided about a purchase. If its a book I love and I see one of my friends has reviewed it, I always read that for sure to see whether they loved it, or why they didn't.
I try and write reviews for any free copies I win in contests, books that have little to no reviews, or books that have a lot of reviews I disagreed with. I see no need to say the same things hundreds before me have said.. unless is what just that great.. or that bad. I rely on reviews a little, if there are too many reviews that say how bad or great the book is I take heed, even if I decide to read it. I usually try and stick to the reviews of people I'm familiar with and share a view that I did on other books I read (kinda like a if they liked it I probably will since we've liked or disliked the same kinds of books in the past).
