Writing Book Reviews

I‘ve gotten rather behind on posting reviews - I‘ve read/listened to these in the last few weeks

I‘m still very much enjoying Mrs. Jeffries (I‘ve started #5)
Borrower in the Night drew me in with its historical mystery (I may have to dig in to the next Vicky Bliss)
Joy in the Morning - Poor Bertie, it really wasn‘t his fault this time!
In the Teeth of Adversity - Don‘t read if you are iffy about dentists!
Death in the Tunnel - facts & deductions

CarolynM I love the Vicky Bliss series, and it gets better and better. Night Train to Memphis is one of my all time favourite books. 4mo

mabell @CarolynM It took me a bit, but I got sucked in! I‘ll have to move on to Street of the Five Moons. Did you enjoy that one? 4mo

CarolynM Yes, very much. There's a bit of an evolution from Borrower to Street. A definite step up🙂 4mo

43 likes3 comments

Leftcoastzen

Writing Book Reviews | John E. Drewry

Cuz some Sundays you just need a New York Times.And the Book review .Great essay by Sloan Crowley about her book shelving system.Some of you get it on line,I want to feel the paper.Not really in my budget, I usually sneak a peak at my public library.May your Sunday be sublime ,Littens.

merelybookish Happy Sunday! 1y

43 likes1 comment

TheNextBook

Writing Book Reviews | John E. Drewry

Do you follow my blog?! Have you seen my full reviews there or on goodreads?! You should because even though I leave my thoughts on books here, I have much longer and thorough reviews on both my blog and goodreads! Check them out. And subscribe! Believe me, I‘m just as fun on all sites! 😂

http://thenextbookonmylist.blogspot.com

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/26586107-stacie-c

BarbaraTheBibliophage Subscribed! 1y

TheNextBook @BarbaraTheBibliophage yeah!!!! 1y

kyraleseberg Friend request sent on Goodreads! Checking out your blog now! 1y

53 likes3 comments

SilversReviews

Writing Book Reviews | John E. Drewry

Reviews Posting This Month:

1. TIFFANY BLUES - 8/6
2. OUR HOUSE - 8/7
3. THE MASTERPIECE - 8/8
4. THE DAISY CHILDREN - 8/14
5. THE OTHER WOMAN - 8/21
6. SOLD ON A MONDAY - 8/28
7. DAY OF THE DEAD was reviewed on 7/25

All reviewed at Silver‘s Reviews: http://silversolara.blogspot.com

Have you read any of these books or plan to read any?

Pamwurtzler I‘ve got both Our House and The Masterpiece on hold at the library! 1y

SilversReviews @Pamwurtzler Great. I hope you enjoy them as I did. Let me know. 😍 1y

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TheReadingMermaid

Writing Book Reviews | John E. Drewry

To my fellow book reviewers, what is your biggest struggle in writing reviews? How do you overcome it?
My biggest struggle is writing reviews on the Masters. I struggle because what else could I possibly say about them, they're amazing... I tried to compensate by reviewing the book itself the way it's put together, the illustrations, even the binding.
@BarbaraTheBibliophage @SilversReviews @Reviewsbylola @BookReviewsbyTara

2BR02B With older and well-known books, it's hard to bring a fresh perspective. I end up feeling like everything worth saying has probably already been said. 1y

RJHowe With classics I think you are best to stay away from traditional analysis and comment on how well the work has aged and if it's themes remain relevant in today's world. 1y

SilversReviews First of all....I LOVE your word collage. I still summarize a “master and classic” book and tell what I really liked about it. I hope that is what you were looking for. If you want to chat more, you can e-mail me at silversolara AT gmail DOT com 1y

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TheReadingMermaid @RJHowe 👍🏻 Awesome idea! 1y

TheReadingMermaid @SilversReviews thank you you are welcome to use it for any of your purposes. and what is something that you personally struggle with when you're writing reviews? 1y

SilversReviews @TheReadingMermaid I‘m not sure I have something I struggle with when writing my reviews, but if anything I guess who I would recommend it to. I write my reviews as I read and then edit and “fix it” up when I am totally finished - that may help too. And....I am flattered and honored I was asked my opinion and included with such good company.....thank you. 😊 1y

TheReadingMermaid @SilversReviews 🤗😘🤗😘 1y

tournevis Finding a way to point out the grievious flaws of a book without making an enemy of the author. SFQ and Canadian history are smaaaaaaaaaaal milieux. 1y

TheSpineView I find just getting my thoughts organized can be a bear. Once I do that the writing usually goes better. 1y

TheReadingMermaid @tournevis yes I've had that problem too with a couple of local authors. one of them took it rather gracefully but was obviously perturbed by what I had said on his book. I try to be as nice as possible in that situation and point out that it is merely for constructive criticism to assist the author in their writing. 1y

TheReadingMermaid @TheSpineView I actually find that the talk text feature on my cell phone helps me to gather my thoughts together. I talk text it in a text to myself and just copy paste it onto my review after I'm done editing. 1y

tournevis @TheReadingMermaid Of course diplomacy is best, but among my eminent colleagues (all male, not necessarily older than me; I'm old) will not abide a female colleague having an opinion on their work. Even if their work is dreadful. And I have to work with these people. It's basically juggling raw eggs. 1y

TheReadingMermaid @tournevis the struggle is real girl I know it too! 1y

tournevis @TheReadingMermaid Indeed! 1y

BookReviewsbyTara I agree with @tournevis the toughest part for me is sharing what l least like about the book without hurting the author‘s feelings. Because a lot of my review requests come directly from the author, I definitely feel the pressure. Yet, l still remain honest! ... Thanks for the tag🤓😊 1y

jb72 I rarely write a full review. If the book is not up to par in my opinion I‘ll try to elaborate on that but general I just give stars. It‘s hard for me to write a review because I don‘t want to give any of the story away. 1y

BarbaraTheBibliophage I haven‘t really reviewed any classics. But I might talk about how it‘s changed for me over the years of reading it. The hardest thing for me is keeping track of my review ideas as I read. So I use a notes program to write stuff down while I‘m reading. And y‘know, I just get honest with reviews. I find good and bad in every book whether it‘s a new or established author. But I definitely like to end on the good. 1y

59 likes17 comments

SomedayAlmost

Writing Book Reviews | John E. Drewry

3 indie books in my tbr-to be reviewed-pile this month. A huge thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing books by indie authors! Indie authors don‘t have the budget to work with big review services. Readers‘ words are everything in the uphill climb of the writing biz. #reviewsmatter #indieauthors

14 likes

julesG

Writing Book Reviews | John E. Drewry

I received an ARC directly from the author and I don't like the subject. The writing is okay (for a sizzling hot explicit romance) but the main topic the story is based on is pretty misogynistic.
I was not really aware of this, when I said I'd read the ARC.

Well, I've read it. It was short.

Now I don't know how honest my review (preferably on Amazon on release day - author's request) should be. All honest? Or hedging?

Crazeedi @julesG thats a tough call, I think morally you should be honest. But if it's just not the genre you like, so that would be part of my review. Does this make sense? 2y

Sophoclessweetheart I‘ve been reviewing for publishers and authors for over four years now and honest is always the BEST policy. If an author or publisher asks for anything less than complete honesty then cease all contact because decent and honest authors/publishers want allfeedback - good and bad. Xxx 2y

Itchyfeetreader I‘d say review honestly. I think you are saying that this was not a good fit for you not that it‘s necessarily a terrible book. If you can be fair no author or publisher should have an issue with this? 2y

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julesG Thanks! 2y

TiredLibrarian Imagine if your review went viral in the bookish interwebz: Is it something you'd be proud to have your name on? Could you stand by it? 2y

batsy Honest, especially if it's a critique of stuff like misogyny (or racism, etc.) Don't hold back on that, is my policy, especially if you feel strongly about it and want to let other readers know about those issues 👍🏽 2y

mdm139 Be honest, even a bad review is a review and amazon and other sites will place the book higher in the search queue based on number of reviews. I do try to find at least one good thing to say though, but that maybe the teacher in me. 2y

RJHowe If reviews are to have value they need to be honest. I would suggest either honest review or no review are your real choices. Can anything else be ethical? 1y

58 likes8 comments

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