Reviewing Bad Books
I would like to discuss bad books. Show us the worst books that you've reviewed. How do you try to handle reviewing a horrible book on your blog?
Here's mine: Horrible Book
Normally I would try to say a few good things about a book, along with the bad things, even if I didn't like it. But every once in a while I read something so bad that I just can't find anything good to say!
BookGirlR
Views: 21
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kimberly Hulst on -
I've had a few vomit worthy ones in the last year. I would post a link to the worst, but that's giving the author extra media attention.
I'm no holds barred, if I find a book bad I will say so.
My book blog
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Permalink Reply by Little Red Reviewer on -
Twice I have completely thrown an author under the bus. they were both very difficult reviews to write. The first time, and this was years ago, the guy had gotten started with fanfic, I believe, and self published his original novel. Not only was it very boring, but it was horribly written. I've got nothing against first person POV, but every sentence doesn't need to start with "I". The second time, and this was very recently, people seemed to either love or hate the particular book, and I ended up getting an e-mail from the author, and we talked a bit. The book was selling quite well, but obviously just wasn't my thing, and he was cool with that.
I great book, I can't put it down, and the review is a peice of cake to write, because my thoughts just flow. it's much harder for me to write a review of a sucky book, because while I'm trying to find something nice to say about it, I'm also shredding the darn thing. how terrible is that, that I seem to spend more time on crappy books than good ones?
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Permalink Reply by BookGirlR on
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I honestly hope that an author never contacts me because I gave their book a bad review. Ha ha I don't deal well with confrontation. I hate doing bad reviews and considered just not reviewing the book at all, but I thought that readers should know that I didn't like it and why. I gave explanations of why I didn't like the book to justify my opinion, so that readers can still make up their own minds about whether or not to read the book.
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BloggerPermalink Reply by Linda on -
I don't write too many bad reviews, but I have had several authors and one publicist contact me when I did. I don't understand why an author thinks it is a good idea to argue my review by posting a rude comment on my blog. I gave one book a four-star rating, but had one critical comment. The author was so nasty that I went back and changed the star rating. I was harassed by a Christian author who not only attacked my review, but attacked me as a Christian. The one angry publicist did apologized after I told him he was unprofessional.
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Permalink Reply by Erin K. on -
Wow. That's terrible! If I start reviewing a lot of books for people, instead of what I choose myself or request, I'll make sure I say as clearly as possible that I DO NOT GUARANTEE A POSITIVE REVIEW, only an honest one. Not that it will help, but at least I will feel like I did what I could. Ugh.
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Permalink Reply by Little Red Reviewer on
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those are the two most unprofessional people I've ever heard of! and no one should ever, ever attack your beliefs or faith. Ever!!
I hope that publicist apologized publicly, on his site and yours.
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Permalink Reply by ManOfLaBook.com on -
That's horrible.
You should have published the writer's tirade with a polite response.
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Permalink Reply by Kimberly Hulst on
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The really horrible one I had to review last year was a self published one too. The author had even mixed up their own characters for half a chapter.
I'm not saying that every book done by self publishing will be bad, as I've come across a few really good ones. I just think too many doing self publishing do not take the proper time to work on drafts. They rush to get their book on shelves or online as fast as they can. That's where the mistakes and bad/boring comes in.
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Permalink Reply by Erin K. on
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I think everyone's entitled to his or her own opinion! Not every book will be right for every reader. I always try to point out who I think would be the most likely to glean some enjoyment from a book, even if I hated it. I also link to any other reviews I can find or, at the very least, the author's website. I try to make it clear that my review is my opinion, that I personally would not recommend the book but that that's just me talking and there may be people out there who love the book.
Often, if it's a book I picked up myself (not something I've agreed in advance to review), and I hate it that much, I just won't post a review. In fact, I may not even finish the book!
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Permalink Reply by BookGirlR on
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Thanks Erin, I think that linking to another review, possibly a positive one is an excellent idea! One that I'll use in the future if I ever have another bad review.
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Permalink Reply by Erin K. on
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Sure! It definitely makes me feel less crummy. If I can find a good review, great! And if I can't, at least I know I'm not the only one who just couldn't make myself like the book.
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Permalink Reply by ManOfLaBook.com on
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For me it depends, if it's an independent author (without an editor, self published etc.) I'll either go easy or not publish the review at all. From someone who is not self published I will show little mercy :)
That being said, the worst book I've read this year was from an independent author, I sent him an e-mail I didn't like it and got a page full of curses in reply, some of them I've never heard before - and I was in the military.
The idiot went on to publish my e-mail and his profilic response on Facebook for his idiot friends to see how "awsome" he is (his words). Needless to say that no publisher nor agency I know of will work with him if they ever found his juvenile response on the world wide web.
Now I think twice, three...ten times before reading a self published book.
http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
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