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"Crystal, Why are ALL Your Book Reviews SO Nice?"

Yes, it's true...my book reviews are more lemonade than lemons. For every 5 star review, trust me...there's a pile of books that didn't keep my interest, were poorly edited, or were just plain awful. The hard part is I was raised hearing my father say

"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"

So - how exactly do I write a book review for a book that was awful? I guess I just sit down and do it and try to be as tactful and sensitive as possible. The problem is, I know these authors have poured their heart and soul into their work...it would be like telling someone they have an ugly baby...how do you do that?

I've decided that I'm not going to write lengthy reviews that are negative and I am not going to attack the author personally (no brainer, right?) but I did grab a stack of books from my library and review them on Amazon and Goodreads tonight. Out of the fourteen books I reviewed, some were 5 stars but not worthy of a lengthy review, and then there were a few 1 stars in the pile...you have to believe me when I say it was painful to give "those bad grades"...

Thank you to the friend who reminded me that by only reviewing 5 star books I was ruining my own credibility - I hope that same friend is around when these authors start sending me hate mail....lol

May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, sunshine, and plenty of 5 star books to fill your bookshelves!
Love,
~Crystal
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Comments

  1. Mason CanyonAugust 3, 2013 at 5:21 AM

    Crystal, I like your attitude about the reviews. I can't seem to write a negative review. While I can sometimes say what I didn't like about the book, I always have to encourage others to check it out anyway. I may not have liked the book, but others may love it. I never want to discourage a reader from looking at a book. You've got a great attitude about books and reviews. Looking forward to reading more.

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

    ReplyDelete

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