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Weird Reasons For A Bad Review
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Okay, weirdest reason for a bad review. The reviewer couldn't figure out how to open a Kindle on their eReader.
I've always thought it interesting when someone gives the book a bad review because Amazon was delayed in delivering it. Ala "Great book, but it took over a week to get here." *2 Stars*
I've read one a few weeks back, she gave the book she'd been waiting for 1 star because the publish date kept moving forward and so she was "so over it!"
Any review that starts with, "I didn't read this book." And then goes on to trash it or give it a one star with no additional information. Why? Is it just to boost the number of books rated? Does Goodreads give out free cookies on your 1000th review?
Someone once said they don't give over a certain amount of stars for a rating unless it is an established author with a certain amount of street cred. So, I guess we would all be screwed.
I have seen one and two star reviews that were raves-- reviewer/reader loved the book, and I have also seen 4 and 5 star reviews that totally trashed the book? So what's up? Hit the wrong number? Don't understand the star system? This doesn't exactly answer the question-- but it pertains....I don't think this type of out of sync reviewing should be allowed to stand. Something is off when it happens this way. Also-- pet peeve: I gave this book one star b/c it's just not my kind of book. Maybe it'll be yours-- but just wasn't mine. WTH??? Why'd ya read it? Never mind trashing the writer and his/her rating w/ your personal taste comments!
All of these are great, I'm laughing so hard!Leigh, side note, I had an author whose book I couldn't read, so I sent her a private message instead. She bitched at me for not posting a review with, it's not my kind of book, but it might be yours. I refused.
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There's been a couple where they'd review it badly just because everyone else was raving about it, and they sought to even it out. Seeing those really annoys me haha
I get the "its not my cuppa" bad review often. I usually give bad reviews if the book isn't written well or if its of a Mary sue Gary stu schlock. but if its written well and I just didn't like the story I always give a 3. give writers their props despite whatever it may be about
A one star review that doesn't have a word of text but does have a long list of animated GIFs. That kind of thing always makes me wonder if they couldn't write, how were they able to read the book...?
Some good ones here! I think the ones that mark down for things that are out of the author's control and are irrelevant to the actual book are particularly daft (e.g. the person who was having trouble using the Kindle app)...
I got a 2-star review once from someone who actually liked the book but felt it left too many unanswered questions. Then she gave a list of those questions, which... hold on... will be answered in the sequel. And readers know there's a sequel coming because the prologue to book two is included at the end of book one. That was a tiny bit frustrating. Especially when the review itself read more like a 4-star. I was stumped by that one!
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Nothing like knowing there is a sequel and still giving it a bad review because there are so many unanswered questions. I have seen a few reviews like that, 2*, and you feel like asking them the ultimate question..uhh you do realize there's a sequel right?
Of course, it depends when they realise that there is a sequel...
A little off topic, but personally, I don't enjoy books in a series without any kind of conclusion or resolution. I don't expect a grand finale or anything fancy, just... something. I don't feel that books that happen to be a part of a series should be allowed to be an exception. So, just saying I don't find this kind of review weird, just a personal perference.
Lily wrote: "A little off topic, but personally, I don't enjoy books in a series without any kind of conclusion or resolution. I don't expect a grand finale or anything fancy, just... something. I don't feel th..."I've noticed that no one uses the word serial, just series. If at least one story isn't neatly wrapped up within a single book, it is a serial. If the stories are connected, within the same universe, have an ongoing story arc in the background, but have closure for that particular book, it is a series.
Still, not a reason to give a bad review. Even if they aren't using the right term, there is usually an indication that a book is part of a larger whole.
Nope, still don't enjoy it :) It could be called series, serial, sequel, episode, issue, it really doesn't matter to me. When the story ends with a half-spoken question, I don't enjoy it.
To continue with Lily's tangent (feel free to move this to a new thread): I think there is a clear difference between wrapping up every single question or subplot, and answering the main conflict of the book.The first Matrix was awesome. It didn't answer every single question. It even teased bigger things to come at the end. However, it had a quantifiable ending that closed the main plot. Is Neo the one? Yes.
The second one had awesome parts, and even better graphics. However, it confused the "to be continued" with an ending. It isnt. Furthermore, the main plot conflict wasn't resolved.
I think a lot of authors, and indies are the most guilty, confuse the "to be continued" with an acceptable ending to a book. They say "well there will be a next one, so you don't have to be done yet."
I think the trick comes from being a writer who can present a lesser plot as the main conflict of a single installment, while maybe hiding the true conflict as a subplot that slowly burns through each book in the series. You the. have to make your "main conflict" ring true, while not just seeming like a speed bump.
There in lies the problem, and I don't know if this free flowing tangent makes any sense. Authors who immediately make the main conflict the top plot point for each book, and solve it only with a "to be continued" aren't doing their job.
That's the way I see it, anyway.
Yeah, it is rather off topic, sorry about that. I'm not really expressing things well because I'm trying not to murder this topic.I agree with everything, btw.
I saw a bad review on a book I was just scoping out and thought I'd share because it struck me funny. The reviewer stated that they knew they wouldn't enjoy the book but "read it anyway just to reaffirm their contempt for the author." lol. Not the strangest, but some seriously strong feelings for someone who they'd probably never met.
My favorite will always be: "it wasn't my kind of book". Why did you read it then?!?
Tabitha, couldn't agree more lolOr when there's a massive warning at the beginning of a book, and the reviwes says nothing but bitter complaints about the subject matters that was already given in the warning. Yet another reaon warnings are useless.
Tabitha wrote: "My favorite will always be: "it wasn't my kind of book". Why did you read it then?!?"Perfectly acceptable for me, though: I have to actually read the book to realise "it's not my kind of book." If I don't, then people tell me "you have no right to talk about it: you haven't read it." Damned if you do, damned if you don't...
Reviews for a book they didn't even bother finishing. It bugs me. If you can't finish it that's fine, it happens. But you shouldn't give a rreview that will reflect the entire book
Michael wrote: "Reviews for a book they didn't even bother finishing. It bugs me. If you can't finish it that's fine, it happens. But you shouldn't give a rreview that will reflect the entire book"Depends on how bad the writing was based on wht they did read lol
Michael wrote: "Reviews for a book they didn't even bother finishing. It bugs me. If you can't finish it that's fine, it happens. But you shouldn't give a rreview that will reflect the entire book"That one I can accept, too: if I can't finish a book, it doesn't just happen, it's for a reason... or several. Too many grammar/spelling mistakes, plot holes, and so on. For me, those can justify a negative review (odds are that if the first chapters weren't properly edited, the last ones won't be better).
I just came across a bad review for a book where the reviewer was actually trashing another book. I'm just not sure if she was confused or what exactly was going on there. I found it kind of funny but I definitely wouldn't have if it were my book.
Heh, I've seen reviews like that. "The first sentence reminds me of this other book that I hated." And so on, and so forth.
Yzabel wrote: "Michael wrote: "Reviews for a book they didn't even bother finishing. It bugs me. If you can't finish it that's fine, it happens. But you shouldn't give a rreview that will reflect the entire boo..."Damn. Good point lol
Amanda: was it a review where the novel was compared to another, and the reviewer went on a tangent? Or was it the reviewer accidentally posting on the wrong book's page? (Because this happened to me once. ^^; I noticed my mistake, so I could correct it quickly, but if I hadn't... well...)
I can't stand reviews and star ratings on books that haven't even been released yet. some people go as far as to rate and review books that come out in the year 2016. what's up with that.
no thats ok. Just people who want the book and review and rate it assuming it'll either be great because they love that author or it'll be bad because they hate that author.
i also can't stand reviews that say "I'll never read this book". Why waste your time and space on the review posts to write garbage that no one wants to read? And its those reviews that will make it to the top, causing a real reader who wants to read real reviews to scroll down to by pass the BS reviews.Sidenote: I also can't stand when people have shelves in their "My books" tab that are "books I'll never read" or "F*** that author" and then fill up those shelves with hundreds of books. What is the purpose of that? Why waste shelve and book space? Just so people will know which books that person hates even though they never read them? It just makes that person look like an idiot. I'll never understand it.
Joanne, I understand your complaints, but this isn't really a topic to complain about reviews. It's a topic about the weirdest reasons you've seen for a bad review.
Here's one that I just remembered.1 star review starting with the statement the book is utterly predictable, followed by a very long list of plot points showing how it's predictable because it allowed the reviewer to make a bullet list.
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something along those lines were written on a review I once came across and I was just like, is this person serious right now?
So what's the strangest reason you've ever seen given for a bad review?