Authors & Reviewers discussion
Tips & Tricks For Reviewers
>
What do you do when you don't like a book that you are reading?
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Jackie - Fire & Ice Book Reviews
(new)
Jun 15, 2013 07:56PM
When you are doing a read for review, and you come across a book you don't like, what do you do? Do you go ahead and do the review? Or tell the author you don't like the book, ask them if they would like you to put up the review?
reply
|
flag
I generally put up the review, but I try not to be mean about a negative review, if it is just not to my taste but well written I will still give it 3 stars and recommend it to others, the author is not responsible for my tastes. If it is badly written, and I have read some doozies then I simply say why I didn't like it. I am not the grammar police either so I don't generally penalize a book because the author can't spell or use a comma properly but I will comment , "hey you need an editor or at the very least a proofreader".
As an author I would love to say no! Don't post it but, that is not how the game works. Laurie is correct. Be honest and polite.
I usually posted as well, but I know People who would rather ask the author if they would like the review up.
The issue for me is when the plot have problems. In that case my review probably wouldn't be good. The development of the story is something essential for a writer and if it is confusing then the author have to know and do something with the book.
As an author--I personally like it when someone takes the time to not only write a review, but, if they give me a low rating, to tell me what they didn't like. Sometimes it's a matter of different tastes, but sometimes, they let me know things I can try and make note of for my next book. Like for example, I didn't write an epilogue for one of my books and quite a few readers told they wanted one. I really appreciate knowing that stuff. But as a reader (and I was a reader long before I ever became a writer)... I'm pretty much on point with Laurie. I'm always honest, but polite. I think that's the whole point in reviews.
I have had a few reviews where the person didn't finish or they didn't really read it. As long as they say they didn't finish it, then I think it is as accurate as a review of someone who did, as long as it's not like "I read the preview and decided the whole book is crap. One star" I do think that if you didn't finish it you might not want to rate it but rather leave a review, sans the rating, saying why you didn't finish it. I have seen reviews of books I read where the people obviously didn't finish it and claim they did. I saw one where the person rated a book 1 star because they said it was predictable and they went on to say exactly what happened in the end and how they knew the whole time. The problem being that is not what actually happened in the end.
I hate those reviews, especially when they read a "sample" of the book, and they say they don't like it. It really makes me mad...
I think that samples are never good indicators of the book as a whole. All they really do is give you an idea of the author's writing style.
I have never rated a book I didn't finish. I try to finish every book I read even when it takes me months...
★Ms.Jackie ★ wrote: "I hate those reviews, especially when they read a "sample" of the book, and they say they don't like it. It really makes me mad..."Now, I've rated a book without finishing it. Sometimes, because I've gotten about 3/4 of the way through it and I'm loving it so much that I can't wait to tell the world. Occasionally it's because I just didn't finish. But I always state that in my review.
S.K.N. wrote: "I think that samples are never good indicators of the book as a whole. All they really do is give you an idea of the author's writing style."Oh, I learned this the hard way. I bought that book Eat, Pray, Love because the sample sucked me in. I couldn't stop reading, so I bought the rest. I got so bored, I still haven't finished it. That first part appeared to be the best part of the book. I'm still trying to slog through that book, but man it's painful. I hate hate hate when a sample is the best part of the book.
But...I've read samples that were iffy and ended up loving it. So, I've done it both ways.
All the sample usually is is the first 2 or 3 chapters and that is usually not an indicator. I've read tremendous, amazing samples and the book wasn't that great. I've also read boring, not that great samples but the book ended up to be a five star book. It almost feels like they are an opposite indicator a lot of the time.
Mod
I only do reviews on books I finish.
most of the time I finish book anyway. but If I just cant continue reading it, I get back to author with my reasons why I didn't liked it and couldn't finish it. if I get go-ahead from author I put up my review but I always try to be less critical in it than I was with author himself/herself. I try to concentrate on good sides of the book.
Mod
:)
hmmm. If I just can't get into the book, that is one thing. I might come back to it later. If it's because the book is poorly written, I usually don't go any further. There are so many other good books out there waiting. Now if I said I would review it, I will read the whole thing no matter what. I will post a review, the author may not be happy with it. I will always send an email to the author to explain the review and give examples of what was right and wrong with it.
If I read it for review and just can't get into the topic or style (that happens), my review will exclude personal opinion and focus on how well the author did character development, descriptions, plot, and of course grammar. I won't comment on the fact that the book is another clone of LOTR, Hunger Games, Twilight, etc. Some people will read a book just because it is a clone.
If the book is from one of the big publishers, then there is no excuse for poor grammar and I will comment on this in the review. As for Indie authors, I normally won't comment on minor grammar slips, but if it's constant, than it has to go in the review. Even if I don't comment on grammar in the review, the author deserves an email including it.
Yes editors are not cheap, especially if they are good. Yes word processors have built in grammar checkers; don't rely on them to fix it all. They don't. Nothing will ever beat the human reader. The author needs to carefully read a paper copy of the book with the intent of checking spelling and grammar. Even better, have someone else read it. There are many people willing to beta read your manuscript. Expect them to be brutal. If they're not, then they just wasted your time. A beta read should come back with significant comments and red marks all over the place. It's expected. I just got a manuscript (34 pages) back from a beta reader. It had 37 significant comments in the document and a 3 page letter explaining the major issues the reader had with it. At least my grammar didn't take too many hits. I've just finished the first post beta read edit and it's time to print it again for another edit.
These comments will improve the manuscript, but only if the author is willing to accept the comments. Remember if you ask for a beta read, you should expect and want the comments. Don't be surprised or upset.
I always finishing the book I'm reading, and I always review them later. I always try to be as polite as possible about what I didn't like while being honest, and I always make sure to tell them everything they did write. Vise versa if I absolutely adored the book I always make sure I put at least one critique on the writing because anything can be improved.
I quit when it becomes painful, but recently I finished a really awful book to see how bad it could get.
I never used to quit, but recently I had to quit one by a fellow indie that I'd got on a Kindle Free day. It was clearly something written without much thought by someone who didn't care about quality. By chapter six the author had given up bothering with punctuation. That killed it for me. I didn't leave a review, but I still feel like writing a note to the author to tell him to get an editor - but he doesn't look like the kind of person who'll take well-meaning advice well.
I do sometimes NOT finish a book and I indicate that in my review. It doesn't happen often.Here is a link to a review where I paid full price for the book on Amazon (based on positive reviews) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...
(I actually finished this one, knowing that I wanted to fully rebut the positive reviews that had mislead me)
Here is a review for a book that I bought but could NOT finish https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Generally if I dislike a book that I've been given in exchange for a fair and honest review, I try to be honest and fair but gentle. (I'm working on a book too)
I WILL sometimes set a book aside for a while and return to it a second (and sometimes a third) time if the problem is just that I'm not getting "into" it.
Once, after three strikes, I offered the author the option. I would finish the book but couldn't give it a positive (or even lukewarm) review or I'd just stop reading if they liked. They told me to stop and I was relieved to do so.
Finally, here's a review where I gave the book three stars (and finished it) but had some serious problems with it. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The author sent me a note saying that she'd give up on having the website that I write for review her work.
When tempted to write a really scathing review check out this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upZB5...
Jackie - Fire & Ice Book Reviews wrote: "When you are doing a read for review, and you come across a book you don't like, what do you do? Do you go ahead and do the review? Or tell the author you don't like the book, ask them if they woul..."I give an honest opinion and tell why I did not like it.
And if it was a bunch of slow boring drivel with no plot and characters I do not care for then I tell that too.
I will not downgrade for many problems I note but plot and characters are killers if they stink up the place or are MIA.
Now I am DNFing more books because what the dollar store is remaindering now are almost all truly trashy tripe.
