Writing Reviews: Discussion Challenge

So Joood over at Platypire Reviews has tagged us in a discussion challenge for bloggers. We have been asked the following questions and while we almost exclusively post reviews on our blog, we decided to make an exception for her.  Cause we kinda like her and stuff. 🙂  

Here’s how to play:  Once you’re tagged, write an article using the questions listed at the bottom.   You can always expand as much as you’d like, but it isn’t a requirement.  (Don’t forget to acknowledge the blog that you got the prompt from!) Under the article, tag a blogger or three to participate after you and make sure to include the questions at the bottom.  Oh, and you can post it wherever you feel comfortable.  This means your facebook/blog/tumblr/whatever else I’m forgetting.

So here’s mine:

1. What got you into writing reviews? I hella don’t remember why I started to write them.  I just remember finding some authors who thanked me for reviewing their works and I thought, “That’s nice of them. I’m gonna keep doing this.” Then, in 2015, I met my TRIBE!  The Rebel Writers and their Street Team.  They welcomed me with open arms and I came to love them ALL so very much.  It’s very rare when you come into an established group of people and are made to feel completely accepted.  I am still thanking my lucky stars for being asked to join it.  This is actually how I met Lenore. (who co-pilots this blog with me)  We hit it off great and after we met IRL, she contacted me and asked if I wanted to be a part of this blog with her.  And I jumped at the chance.  This has been one of the most personally rewarding things  I have ever done in my life.  And I’m very grateful she asked me to be a part of it with her.  
2. Do you post reviews for books you didn’t like?  Hell yeah I do! Why or why not?  Why wouldn’t I share my opinion for something I didn’t like?  No one has written a book that EVERYONE loves.  It makes sense to review all the books I read regardless of whether or not I liked them.  I like to think I am pretty diplomatic with regards to the ones I didn’t like so I’m not too concerned with backlash.  
3. Do you write reviews for books you didn’t finish? This one I go back and forth on in my head, but yes, I always end up reviewing them.  However, I do not rate them. Why or why not? I feel like I am still allowed an opinion of a book even if I didn’t finish it. 
4. How do you decide what rating to give a book? This is an interesting question. Off the top of my head I’d say I have a half-assed system really.  It’s half instinctive and half based on some aspects of the writing.  If it’s a series I look for growth of character and progression of plot. Repetitiveness will get you a 3 or lower depending on the writing itself and how much it kept my attention.   If they have G (growth) and PP (plot progression), then more often than not I rate higher. Cliffhangers have no basis on my rating scale. Even though I am not really a fan, if the main plot was resolved then that’s all that really matters to me. Now if it didn’t get resolved, I will most likely point that out in my review as a basis for the lower rating.   I’m also pretty liberal with my 5* ratings.  If it really blew me away, ie it had growth, PP, the pacing was good and the emotions were spot on… I’ll for sure hand you one of those babies.  I’ll also throw out 4*’s like no ones business if the series kept my attention and had G and PP.  To get below a 3 star, the book really has to have multiple major plot holes, grammar errors and lack of growth.  I like to give the book the benefit of the doubt till about 35% in.  I hate DNF’ing a book and tend to be more lenient about it. I don’t really feel qualified to be judging someone’s heart and soul like that so for every negative I give I try to throw in a few positives. Cause I’m considerate AF like that. 😉 But don’t get it twisted, I will absolutely speak on a book I felt was not written well. 
5. Have you ever read certain books you’re too embarrassed to review? Hmmm, no, can’t say that I have.  
6. Where do you post your reviews? I try to post EVERYWHERE.  Google +, Twitter, Facebook, our blog website Celebrity Readers, Goodreads and Amazon.  

Now go forth and play!

Tags:

• YA and Wine
• By Hook Or By Book
• WhimsyPages