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I know this is an odd blog post...especially for someone who has a website dedicated to writing reviews.
But, I found myself wondering this today after I was hesitant to publish a review of a book that I did not particularly like a book by an author is who is EXTREMELY popular. I've resisted reading her books because a lot of them sit in a genre (NA) I have not enjoyed that much. After reading the book, I think she is an astounding writer, but the characters just don't do it for me and the story line really fizzled and burned. I will read more of her work, but stick to the ones where her characters have a little more age and experience on them.
I am a neophite blogger. I mean, I've barely gotten my toes wet. I started writing reviews because I love to read and I love to write and I was sick of sending my sister weekly lists of what to read next. I decided to just create a place where she could find out I liked (and didn't) without blowing up my phone.
But, my little project has become an unexpected passion for me. It coincides with a particularly difficult period in my career (i.e. I HATE my job) that has forced me to really think about what I want to do for a living. So, I want to try to find a way to make this more than a hobby. But as I've started engaging more with authors and publishers I realize that as in every other aspect of humanity, people don't REALLY want/like honest feedback.
I get it. Artists are sensitive about their shit. I would be, too. But, then how can I maintain my integrity to the people who are reading my reviews? One of my favorite book blogs (and also one of the biggest book blogs) has really lost favor with me recently. It's rare to read a review of a book that wasn't "amazing". I mean it's possible that the blogger honestly feels that way about everything she reads or that she curates her to be read list so carefully that she never reads a book that she is sure she won't love.
The idea of only reading what I know I love is very unappealing. I mean, after I've read every book by every author that I love all the time, what's left? Part of the excitement of a new book is reading an author or genre I've never read before. That is exactly how I discovered some of my favorite authors and books.
Now, I definitely have a pretty healthy list of books that I LOVE. That give me everything I want from a story and more. But, I've read my fair share of them that are just okay. There are also a good number that I find problematic and even those that I just plain didn't like. And I want to write reviews on all of those. But, I also know that in order to grow my following, I've got to get authors to share my reviews with their following. But they are not going to tweet out a 3 star review where I talk about how annoying the characters were or how disjointed the story felt. I mean, who would? So, where does that leave an aspiring book blogger?
There really is only one answer that lets me sleep at night. I must be true to myself. I can't recommend a book that I didn't like by only talking about the things about it that I did, or by not writing the review at all. I can't tell you how many times I've been pissed off after spending my hard earned money on a book based on 5 star reviews and finding that the writing is pedantic and the characters are one dimensional. And YES, I know that this is just my opinion. But I also know that I CANNOT be the only person who thought that. So when I go back and read the reviews and can't find a single critical one...it just makes me say "hmmmm"
I usually include a link to a positive review if I write a critical one, because I want the reader to hear both "sides" of the story before they make up their mind.
What do you think? Do you trust reviews, or are you a cynical Cindy who thinks that all of these bloggers are selling their good reviews in exchange for notoriety and ARCs?