Do you add a Cleanreader tag line to your reviews?

[Jess]

If you add a cleanreader tag line to the end of your reviews please comment on this thread. I would like to see how other people approach this part of there review... and get some ideas of how to incorporate this into my own reviews. Right now my reviews are more like a note to myself but I know I find it helpful when people add cleanread info to there reviews so I thought I might actually try to start writing helpful reviews.

I have also been wondering if it would be more helpful to have the tagline at the beginning of the reviews, only because when you scan reviews you usually only see the top of the review until you click on it. Would it be better to have it at the top where it can be found by scrolling through the books reviws page?
Also as a side conversation what are you looking for when you read a review? I have found a high number of them feel like a play by play of the book... that or a one sentence love this book kind of a thing. What is the middle ground what is actually helpful as a review?

Thanks everyone.

[Beth A.]

When I read a review, I want to know if the person enjoyed the book and why or why not. I don't really like the play-by-play reviews either. I don't care how short it is as long as includes the why.

I include "Cleanreader" information at the end of my review. I don't do anything if I didn't notice anything, but if I did I try to mention it. Sometimes I do miss things, but I figure some information is better than none.

I put it at the end because not everyone who reads my reviews is a cleanreader, and I don't want to be pushy about it.

Also, I only mark a book's stars down for content if it affected my enjoyment of it. Examples:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

[Jess]

Thank you for taking time to answer, and the links, that is exactly what I was looking for. Defiantly food for thought thank you

[Beth A.]

Thanks :)

[Dorcas]

I give my reads a TV rating in my reviews (G, PG, PG13, R) and then break it down into categories: Sex, Violence, Profanity, Paranormal elements with brief explanitory notes.

[Juliann]

How cool. These are great ideas of how to make things clear, as Beth A says, "Without being pushy about it."

[Heather]

Beth A. wrote: "When I read a review, I want to know if the person enjoyed the book and why or why not. I don't really like the play-by-play reviews either. I don't care how short it is as long as includes the why..."

I dislike it when people "review" a book by regurgitating the entire plot. That is a plot summary, not a review. We can read those on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or the book jacket. What I am looking for, and why I am a Goodreads user, is for what the reader connected with in the book, what it made them think about, how it may have changed their thinking about a topic, if it made an impact on them emotionally, and why. Part of why we read is to make meaning out of our human existence, and when we can connect with characters, it helps us makes sense of our own humanity, and how we are connected despite our different circumstances. I also read for fun/escape, so if it's just a delightful read, I want to know what elements make it so. That's my two cents' worth on the subject.

[Beth A.]

That was perfect, Heather! Exactly!

[Dorcas]

I agree and disagree with Heather. For the most part, I agree. But for those of us who read out of print books, there are often no blurbs to be found anywhere online (or without A LOT of searching) so in my opinion, reviewers do a service when they summarize the plot for other potential readers.

[Diane]

I don't use a "clean read" tag, but I definitely warn readers about things they might need to skip. I enjoy a variety of books but if there are things that make me cringe, I give a warning to new readers.

[C.]

I just say if it's a clean read or if it includes a few scattered,mild curses.

I also warn if I found stronger offensive elements.