My Credo?

[reviews_and_ramblings]

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 ;-)

Comments

[yachay.livejournal.com]

I don't actually follow your LJ for your reviews. It's the everything else that goes on that has kept me around.

I don't usually read reviews before I start reading something. I have no interest to know other peoples opinion before I have formed my own. Only books that really make me think "can I handle this", make me skim a review, mostly by you. Since you don't spoil, but you open up the plot more than what the author is ready to tell. You don't give full on plot-spoilers unless there is something in the book that is not for everyone (for example Faewolf). And you usually tell us more about the characters personality. That is important to me sometimes, because unless the characters are the kind I like, I lose interest quickly.
And you never state your opinion 'clearly' in a way, you hide it in the review. That is what I need, if I read a review before deciding on a book.
In some reviews, I can tell by reading it, did you really love it or was it okay, but not really for you. But some are not that easy. There are those that I had no idea did you like it or not, but I don't honestly care. My taste is so different from majority, that I can't count on anyone else when deciding should I read it or not. If I want your opinion, I comment. I know you are more than willing to share your thoughts more detailed then.

So yeah, I actually don't read many of your reviews in the end. If I do, I usually try to comment. I avoid it though, if I know it will turn into a rant about the book. You don't need that. :)

And as for the rating, I understand your decision. I use ratings, but they are completely personal, and low when the book has too much of things I don't like to read myself. They have nothing to do with authors talent or quality of the story, they are just pointers for myself when I want to check what is good for re-reading.

Sorry for the long ramble :)

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

In a comment you probably summarize perfectly what I'm trying to do. I always try to not spoil the story, but I try to warn people of things they could find troubling. I try not to re-write the blurb, but I try to expand it when the blurb itself is not clear, at least for me. I try to talk more of the characters, what they feel to me, what I think they are their reasons to behave in a way. And I'm more than willing to further develop the review in the comment section if someone need it.

Thank you for everything, Elisa