One And Two Star Book Reviews: Useless?

Evening! Fancy seeing me here again, eh?

Anyway, I was involved in a heated discussion on a bookish page from my personal fb last night - and this morning - and the question was:

"Those of you who write book reviews, will you NOT leave a review if you rate it less than a certain number of stars? Authors, do you prefer that readers/reviewers not leave a review if it's less than a specific number of stars? What's the "cut off point" for you?"

I was astonished to see quite a few reviewers - some well known among the fb AND goodreads bookish circles - saying that they don't post reviews under three stars. 

What? Well, why the hell not? 

As a reviewer, is it or is it not your duty to inform me - the reader - of the contents of a book BEFORE I read it? Isn't your purpose to tell everyone how good - OR BAD, which was where the problem arises - this book was before I go and spend X amount of dollars and numerous hours I cannot get refunded on this beast? Why be a book blogger if the only reviews you post are for "good" books? How can you consider yourself a reviewer if you never have a negative opinion about a book you read? We know all of them aren't gems. We're reading bad books, too! And as the consumer - the most important person in this whole publishing/reading scenario - we owe it to the author to tell them whether or not their books need work. If we don't, they'll never grow and continue to write crap books.

Am I the only one outraged over this?!

I must be. Because when I mentioned that I don't descriminate between good and bad books; that they alllll get a review posted, most of everyone there almost shat their pants. You do everyone involved a disservice when you only post 4 or 5 star book reviews. Because to the unsuspecting public, it looks like you LURVE all the books you read. How am I susposed to believe the word of someone who doesn't dislike anything? We don't get to see that email you send to the author giving them your thoughts and critiques. We don't know any of that is happening. To us, you just look dishonest. And to be frank, your opinion on every book you've ever read has just been called into question. You've taken the honesty out of book reviewing. And I shant read another you write.

So, readers and reviewers alike, I ask you now.....would you review a book you rated less than three stars? And if not, why? 

--A.

I Know, I Know. You Don't Have To Say It....

Yeah, I'm not even gonna start apologizing because you and I both know I'll probably - more than likely - be apologizing again in a month or three when I've been MIA again. I don't mean to neglect this blog or my writing...it just happens. I'm tired ALL the time because of a medical issue I have and when I'm not working, I'm sleeping or trying to sleep. I'm probably spreading myself too thing with all the other things I do....anysnooch.

I've come to announce that I will be trying out a new "Author Of The Month" kind of thing. Where I read numerous books by a single author in one month and possibly review them. Anyone dislike this idea? Anyone like it? Anyone not care either way and are just here for the rainbow gifs? Yeah. Thought so.

SO. The author this month -we'll have her as July-August due to the late start - is....... Amanda R. Browning!

She posted on her facebook about wanting some reviewers for her books and you all know how much I love to write me a good review. I hear a lot of great things about her books so I'm really amped to get started. And because I am doing quite a bit more reading than writing these days, I think this AOTM thing will work out WAAAY better than I thought.

The first of her books I will be reading is Birth Of The Nyxian. You can click the picture in my 'Currently Reading' section and you will be directed to said book on Goodreads.

P.S. I am still doing the author spotlight/showcase with the author I mentioned back in June. Circumstances and deadlines with her publishers have put things on hold for a bit and because she's started writing her sequel...and other projects, I'm the last person to distract her from that. SO we will wait until she is ready. I refuse to get in the way of her career. BECAUSE I LURVE HER!

Anysnooch, if you're reading this.....THANK YOU BUNCHES for rocking out with me and sticking through my neglect and ghost-like phase for months on end. I sincerely appreciate you.

To visit Amanda R. Browning's website, click HERE.
To Follow Amanda R. Browning on Twitter, click HERE.
To 'Like' Amanda R. Browning's Facebook page, click HERE.
To become a fan of Amanda R. Browning on Goodreads, click HERE.
To purchase Amanda R. Browning's books on amazon, click HERE.


And since you guys were honest about loving the rainbow gifs.....here ya go.





You're welcome.