Inspired by all the blogs who do joint
discussions, The Reviewers' Roundtable is our version of a weekly feature where
we discuss a book related/blogging topic.
Meet the Reviewers:
Rachel from Rachel
Reads
(Saturdays)
Emily from Read Your
Bookcase
(Fridays)
Me (Michelle) from here at Pink Polka Dot
Book Blog (Thursdays)
Negative Reviews
Well here's a nice and sunny topic :) Ok so for real, negative reviews... if you are a book blogger at some point you've had to write one, right? I know I have. If I never wrote a negative review, I wouldn't be being honest with you all. Not every books is great, and the reality is there's a lot of not great books out there.
I noticed that before I was a blogger and I just wrote reviews on Goodreads, I didn't really feel too bad when I didn't like a book. I felt like "hey I should warn people about this book so that they can read something else.... or if they do read it, they at least have the heads up". But now.... well I still have to write them, but I feel bad about it. Which is because I know that the author might read my review. I know that to be a writer you have to have thick skin... but when I picture an author publishing a book, I think of all the time and love they've put into that book... and I feel bad. I don't want to talk smack on their baby. But I want to be honest with my readers too.
So here's what I came up with: When I don't like a book, I try to come up with at least something good to say. And yeah I don't tend to tweet the review to the author either. But if the review was requested by the author/publisher, then I still send them the link.
I don't think I'm mean in my negative reviews. I just say what didn't work for me and get out. My goal is to promote reading... but I still have to say what I truly think. It's a delicate balance and sometimes I probably say too much.
My blog friend Alice in Readerland does this really cool thing at the end of her reviews called Cynical Cindy where she says what she didn't like about the book. I think it's a really cool way to say what needs to be said, but not look like a b*tch. I wish I would've thought of it :) From a reader stand-point I know I like reading honesty. I don't like it when every time I read a review on a blog the person is all: I loved it, I loved it about every book. That is just too fake... and I don't like fakeness.
Here are some of my negative reviews:
- Fourth Comings (Jessica Darling #4)
So how do you handle negative reviews? Do you feel guilty?
Personally I'm okay with negative reviews. I have only wrote one so far, but I will be having another one coming up this weekend. I personally don't think authors are reading my blog, but they may be reading my goodreads account where I cross post. Either way I didn't like the book so I want my readers to have a warning maybe not to read the book. I also at least try to find one positive thing to say about the book, but it really takes a lot for me to hate a book so since my negative reviews aren't often I'm okay with writing them and posting them.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel guilty about negative reviews. I can't like every book out there. When I write negative reviews, I always make sure to emphasize that something didn't work for me. Of course if there's a legitimate problem about the book (misspelling, bad grammar, other bad mistakes) I make sure to point it out.
ReplyDeleteNegative reviews are necessary but I will never like doing them. My priority is to be honest to anyone who reads my blog and so I will call it like I see it. Its harder when the author is unknown, I feel so bad knocking the book. I always try and find some positive too like you but my reviews will always be a true reflection of what I felt. No sugar coating, no unearned stars.
ReplyDeleteBookishTrish @ Between the Lines
To be honest I don't post negative reviews but it means 75% of the books I read I don't write posts for. It's not that I am afraid of writing negative reviews but I feel a need to finish books I am not actually enjoying if I am going to force myself to write about them and I would rather be moving on to the next book I might enjoy more. Now on the same note, if a book is simply horrific but has all 5 star reviews on amazon, then while I might not post on my blog I may post on Amazon.
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks for the mention, I’m happy you like Cynical Cindy!! :) I feel the same way about negative reviews, I feel that the book should come with a warning label, but I’m also nervous about saying something that might make the author upset because of how much hard work they must have put into their book. I think the hardest negative reviews for me to write are the “just not for me” reviews, where there was nothing “wrong” with the book that hit on a pet peeve of mine, but I just personally got bored with it.
ReplyDeleteAlice @ Alice in Readerland
Youre welcome... I love Cynical Cindy & think it's really unique!! I have a lot of "just not for me" reviews and it is hard because there are a lot of books I don't like that I know other people would totally love. It's a tough thing to get across sometimes.
DeleteI feel terrible when I have to give a negative review because I know how hard these guys work, but at the same time, you have to be honest about the book without bashing the author. I like Cynical Cindy - great idea for constructive criticism. I have seen Val over a Stuck in Books often put a couple of other bloggers names who have reviewed it more favorably at the bottom of her post when she gives a lower rating, which I though was really a great thing to do also, giving the readers more options.
ReplyDeleteGiving links to other reviews is a really good idea! I love hearing what cool ideas other people come up with :)
DeleteTotally agree with your idea of saying something nice because there would have to be atleast one decent thing about it for you to suffer through the whole thing, right?
ReplyDeleteYes and most books have something good in them or they wouldnt have been published. It's just finding that good part isn't always the easiest.
DeleteAh, the dreaded negative reviews. Since I became a blogger I only wrote two, one on my blog and one on Goodreads. I felt a tad bad about it and I actually pondered pulling them because I feel bad about writing them. I was honest and (hopefully) civilized, though. But here's why I don't want to write them. It has nothing to do with the fear of being stalked (or worse) by the author (though I am a little... apprehensive?!). It has to do with the book itself. It's been almost 6 years since I finished high school and I still remember being forced to read a bunch of books I hated just so I could get a good grade at literature or pass my exams/tests. I hate reading books I don't like. So the minute I feel I don't like a certain book, I stop reading it. I literally can't go on without being angry at myself for reading it. So I figure why spend my time reading a book I know I'll hate, when I can read a book I could like? I'd rather reread the same book I reread hundreds of times, a book I loved, than finish one I don't like. And another thing. When I get to that "I don't like this book" stage and I decide to force myself to go on, I become a mean person. And it's not pretty and cute and funny at all. I'll laugh hysterically at random sentences in the book that to me look silly (when they totally aren't, but hey, I am studying psychology!) or to expressions that sound just plain stupid (when, again, they aren't). And I know it might be bad and even though it makes a bad reading experience to be memorable, I'd rather read something else. I know, it sounds weird!
ReplyDeleteThat's good that you don't force yourself to read stuff you aren't enjoying. I wish I could do that more, but my DNF list isn't that big. I guess unless the book is really bad, then I try to push through... but as my TBR piles up, its becoming more common for me to DNF because I get distracted. Thanks for your awesome comment :)
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