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reviews_and_ramblings ([personal profile] reviews_and_ramblings) wrote2010-01-04 03:23 am

My Credo?

A new friend on this LiveJournal, I will not say who to preserve the privacy but if she agrees I will do, asked me if I ever voice my likes and dislikes on books. She was very kind (and if you are wondering I was not at all bothered by the questions, I love that you made them) and she seemed really interested in my answer. She also told me that she can understand when I liked a movie, but not the same with books. She for example didn't understand my prefercenes on Genre. She asked if I'm available to discuss my reviews.

Well I decided to post my reply here since she was not the first to ask it; to some question I already posted in the past, to some other probably not.

I don't rate books and that is a choice I will not change. Other blogs do that, and I have the feeling that sometime the rating is used with other purposes. Just an example, I read a book, it was particular, sure, but I thought it was very very good. Then I read a review by another blog, it gave 1 on a rate 1 to 5. I wondered, since I'm not English and it wasn't really my genre, if I wasn't wrong in my thought. Then a very important reviewer, university professor and expert in Mystery (it was a Mystery) said to me that the book was wonderful... mmm, I still don't understand that 1.

Anyway I'm always up to discuss one of my review if people ask or leave a comment. But people don't leave comment. I'm sure people read them, I also see the outgoing clicks to buy the book (or at least to further browse it), and some publishers/authors told me that when I post a review the sells go up. So why people don't comment? I don't know. But I prefer no comment to some flaming fights/wanking feast or to have 40 comments from 5 people, I hate the long threads where the same people add something only to raise the number of comments.

I don't like all the books, only that, if I really don't like a book, I prefer to not post about it. If I liked it so and so, I try to list the positive things, but people who know me said that they can understand when the book was not exactly my liking. Same as when I love a book, my friends said that it comes clear from what I wrote.

I love historical romance, but not if they are too heavy. I like contemporary, I prefer comedy to drama, I don't like very much fantasy and even less sci-fic. I like Young Adult. But basically, I read almost all, the important thing is to capture my interest long enough.

And now, I'm ready if you want to discuss all of above ;-)

[identity profile] elisa-rolle.livejournal.com 2010-01-04 05:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Actually when I post on personal things, the comments are always ready and supporting. What I find strange is that, in comparison to other blogs, my review posts are often with 0 comments, to then see people comment elsewhere that they bought the book after reading my review... It's almost like people think that I don't like to receive comments, that is not, only I don't like the wanking feast. But even a negative comment, if constructive, is well accepted.

As per above, I probably myself missed your post. Sorry but not always I manage to follow all my friends list, and there are even sometime when I have barely the time to post, like in November.

Elisa

[identity profile] rowenasudbury.livejournal.com 2010-01-04 05:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Don't worry! I don't really post many earth-shattering things in my journal anymore :)

Wank is one thing I don't like either, and I try to avoid it at all costs, so I understand that too.

But, I also understand what you mean...reading elsewhere that someone bought a book based on your review, and yet they don't leave a comment on you post? That seems quite strange to me.

-Rowena

[identity profile] elisa-rolle.livejournal.com 2010-01-04 05:42 pm (UTC)(link)
It happens often in yahoo groups when there those one day chats. Sometime I also receive private emails. But well, the important thing is that I helped people to choose the right book ;-) Elisa