Book reviews--Are they necessary?

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Permalink Reply by Kay Elizabeth on October 21, 2009 at 8:09pm

I feel they are a wonderful way to get publicity and raise awareness for your book. It's hard not to read the reviews before purchasing and in turn be influenced by them.

I admit upfront I'm biased when I say they are absolutely necessary because I write reviews for Sourcebooks and other publishers as well as individual authors. They are posted in our Book Reviews section at my site. I take a lot of time and care during the review process and am dismayed that some don't.

It takes me literally hours to write a review and I don't even think about beginning until I've read the book very, very carefully. You would think that was what all reviewers did, wouldn't you? But you'd be surprised how many reviewers skim or half read a book, are very careless and can be downright mean. Their egos get in the way. I have seen unnecessarily scathing reviews which say more about the reviewer's personality than the book. Bad reviewers also make huge basic mistakes like giving away how the book ends or telling you so much that instead of whetting your appetite they leave you thinking it's not worth buying because they've just read 99% of what happened in the review!

I have a simple policy that's worked well: you're free to send me the book and if I don't like it, I won't review it. I see no need to completely trash a book just because it's not to my taste. When publishers offer me an ARC and it doesn't appeal to me, I politely pass on it. Very, very few books end up in my mailbox that I don't like because I do this precautionary step first. Not one of the companies I work with have a problem with that because I'm honest about how I work.

That's not to say I won't point out something I felt didn't work or could have been done differently in my reviews because I do when I feel the need to. But I always respect an author's work. I know how influential a review can be for the buying public and a bad one, unless you're a very famous author, can do irreparable damage. No one stops to check out the quality of the reviewer's other reviews to see if they trash a disproportionate number of books on a regular basis, or how their reviews compare to other reviewer's opinions. They read what's there and take it at face value usually.

For any author looking for a reviewer, I'd say read their past reviews before you do anything. Are they fair? Do they give you a good feel for the kind of book it is? Does it sound like the reviewer did more than read the PR, a chapter, the back cover then try to wing it? Could the review have been written start to finish in a few minutes? (This last one is a red flag.)

If the reviewer is critical, is the criticism explained fully or do they just make a vindictive comment like crap, rubbish, don't waste your money etc? (Any reviewer that doesn't back up their negative reaction with a reason is a very poor one in my book. You can make an honest criticism and be inoffensive. With the last review that I added a criticism to, the author emailed me. She told me how much she appreciated it, that mine was one of her favorites and linked to it on her site. )

I love reading all kinds of books and my reviews reflect that. Rarely does a day go by that I don't get a new book in the mail from publishers and publicists or an email asking for a review. I take pride in what I do. And I hate that poorly constructed reviews give the rest of us a bad name that try to do the right thing and respect the work. Getting reviews is a big way to publicize your book but not the only way. Just choose carefully who you allow to do it. I feel for authors that have bad experiences with reviewers, especially undeserved harsh words. I really do.

I'll be interested to hear of the experiences from the author's side and what reviewers could do better. I'm always looking for ways to improve things I do. :) Good topic! And apologies for the long post.

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Permalink Reply by Callie Leah on October 23, 2009 at 1:08am

Now that I think about it, it's sort of fifty-fifty. I mean, it's a good way to get publicity, but a review can also push someone away from a book. I feel that if it tears you away from books, then it's no use to the public. (Which by the way already is so sepertated from books. I think we're lucky to all have found each other on this interesting and wonderful site.)

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Permalink Reply by Kay Elizabeth on October 25, 2009 at 8:00am

Yes it can push you away, Callie. And it can also do you a lot of good if you're a first time author where potential buyers have nothing to base their reason to buy on apart from the blurb on the back cover and any reviews they find.

I'm not sure what you mean when you say if it tears you away from books, it's no use to the public. Are you saying that all reviews should be positive? Because if you are, I think you're looking at it from an author's perspective, not a book buyer's. If a reviewer was to say that a certain book was fabulous and you went out and bought it on the strength of that only to find it was terrible, who would you blame? The reviewer of course.

On the other hand, if a reviewer tells you a book is rubbish and it truly is, aren't they are doing you a favor if that helps you decide to pass on that particular book? I wouldn't call that of no use. :)

That's why I don't review books I don't like. My reviews are honest so I would never say a book was good if it wasn't, nor be unkind about an author's hard work. Simple as that. :) Does that make you feel any differently?

Callie Leah said:

Now that I think about it, it's sort of fifty-fifty. I mean, it's a good way to get publicity, but a review can also push someone away from a book. I feel that if it tears you away from books, then it's no use to the public. (Which by the way already is so sepertated from books. I think we're lucky to all have found each other on this interesting and wonderful site.)

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Permalink Reply by Callie Leah on October 28, 2009 at 1:17am

I guess that is a good point. And when I say, "tear them away from books", I mean just that. It makes people not want to read it.

Kay Elizabeth said:

Yes it can push you away, Callie. And it can also do you a lot of good if you're a first time author where potential buyers have nothing to base their reason to buy on apart from the blurb on the back cover and any reviews they find.

I'm not sure what you mean when you say if it tears you away from books, it's no use to the public. Are you saying that all reviews should be positive? Because if you are, I think you're looking at it from an author's perspective, not a book buyer's. If a reviewer was to say that a certain book was fabulous and you went out and bought it on the strength of that only to find it was terrible, who would you blame? The reviewer of course.

On the other hand, if a reviewer tells you a book is rubbish and it truly is, aren't they are doing you a favor if that helps you decide to pass on that particular book? I wouldn't call that of no use. :)

That's why I don't review books I don't like. My reviews are honest so I would never say a book was good if it wasn't, nor be unkind about an author's hard work. Simple as that. :) Does that make you feel any differently?

Callie Leah said:

Now that I think about it, it's sort of fifty-fifty. I mean, it's a good way to get publicity, but a review can also push someone away from a book. I feel that if it tears you away from books, then it's no use to the public. (Which by the way already is so sepertated from books. I think we're lucky to all have found each other on this interesting and wonderful site.)

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