On occasion, I see posts on FB and Twitter about bloggers being misleading by only posting positive reviews on their blogs. The general consensus seems to range from ‘they are only posting positive reviews to get more free books’ to ‘they are being positive to try and be popular’ through to ‘surely they can’t love all the books that they read’. Sometimes it is just throwaway comments and queries with nothing malicious being meant, which is fine but at times it strays into blogger bashing and impugning on a bloggers ethics and honour.
Well, simply put, often bloggers don’t love every book that they read and they choose not to review those books. You know what?!?! That is perfectly OK.
The point of this blog post is that I tweeted about this subject, the tweet was:
“If a blogger chooses not to post negative reviews on their blog then it’s their choice. People complaining seem to forget the most important thing, it’s the blogger’s blog! They can post what they want. If that includes negative, fine, if they just share book love, equally fine”.
Followed by (because I ramble and can’t fit all I want to write in one tweet).
“To those who complain that there are no negative reviews on a blog. If the blogger chooses not to post them then it’s their choice. Try this though! Maybe the blogger is just good at picking what they like and enjoy to read! It’s an interesting concept, try it”.
Yes, I quoted my own tweet! 🙂
Now, what I tweeted was met with an overwhelmingly positive response…….apart from one! Yes, there is always one and unfortunately it wasn’t Connor MacLeod (Highlander) and in this case, the one fiercely disagreed with what I wrote! I know, I know, fiercely disagreed, my tweet annoyed them that much that they transcended just disagreeing to fiercely disagreeing!
Honestly, I don’t know how they can disagree! Sure, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I won’t disagree with that as it is true but disagreeing with someone (me) overwriting that a blogger can post what they want on their own blog!
I’ll leave that there and allow you, my dear readers, to have at it! What say you, this person disagrees with me that you can post what you want on your own blog!
Thoughts?!?!?! Opinions?!?!?! Share them!!!! Swearing is allowed on my blog so if you want to call the person a f#cker or worse in the comments then please feel free! 😉
Back on track, whether a blogger chooses to share negative reviews or not is their own personal choice. I choose to post negative reviews, I have the princely sum of three actual negative reviews on my blog in two years of blogging and that’s OK, it was my choice to post them.
In my opinion, negative reviews have a place in the book community and often a well-worded negative review that explains why the person disliked a book can be beneficial to others as what that person disliked others may in-fact like.
I do feel that negative reviews that simply shit on a book aren’t beneficial to an author, a book or the community at all, none of us wants to read that someone hated a book because it was ‘shit’ or ‘a travesty to literature’. Reviews like that help no-one but a thoughtful negative review that critiques what the person didn’t like and also explains what they did like (if they did actually like any aspects) can help offer a fully-rounded and informed overall opinion of a book.
Honestly, there are many bloggers out there who post negative reviews and can still make you interested in reading the book as they are fully aware that the review is only their opinion (something some need to realise) and offer both the positive and the negative without being overly critical or ripping the book to pieces and as I said, what one person likes another might dislike and vice versa and the aspects that person didn’t like might actually be the things that another looks for in a book.
Am I wrong to post negative reviews and are all the other bloggers who do it wrong too?!?!? No, I am not and neither are they, it is my blog and it is their blog and ultimately, we all decide what we are going to post.
Likewise, if a blogger decides not to post negative reviews then that is perfectly OK too, they are not wrong either as it is their choice and there is nothing underhand about it.
Lots of bloggers choose simply to focus on the positive and spread the book love and you know what?!?!? There’s nothing wrong with that at all my friends, nothing wrong with that at all!
It is ‘their blog, their rules, their voice‘ a mantra that I have lived by on my blog since I started blogging.
Of course, we can’t love all the books that we read but most of us try and pick books that we think we will like in the genres that we read. Sure, sometimes the book doesn’t work out or we do try something different and again, that doesn’t work out but mostly we agree to read and choose books that we hope we will enjoy. Who wants to spend time reading books that they know they won’t enjoy anyway?!?! That my friends would be the definition of craziness! I know the world can be crazy but FFS that is taking it too far!
It seems to some that reading what you know you will like is a foreign concept, funny, most of us as bloggers and readers think the opposite and try to read what we know we will like. The mind is blown!
Maybe if these people actually focused on reading what they like then they would have better look with books and maybe, just maybe, most of us are good at choosing to read what interests us and what we hope that we will like! Try it, you might find that you like it instead of berating bloggers for not posting negative reviews.
We know our tastes and we know our likes and dislikes. Books are like TV shows, films, music and video games. We read, watch, listen and play what we know (hopefully) will bring us enjoyment.
I know a lot of people feel that there are no bad books and that often it is simply the case of the wrong book, wrong time and wrong book, wrong reader and all that means is that if they do read a book and don’t enjoy it then that is what they class it as, the wrong book for them and choose to move on to the next read. There is nothing sinister in them then choosing not to review it.
Whether a blog includes negative reviews or not doesn’t mean that the blogger is dishonest and it’s wrong to think that nor is it deceitful of the blogger! Coming from someone (myself) who does write negative reviews (when required) and feels that they have a place in the community I have no issue whatsoever with bloggers choosing not to post negative reviews, no issue at all and neither should anyone else. it is their blog and they have a right to post what they want!
It is blogger bashing and you have to ask why that even occurs as sadly, it is something that seems to happen a lot, is it cool? Are bloggers easy targets?
Seems unfair to me, we do this for free, in our spare time and because we love books (even if we do, on occasion post negative reviews) and yet we get bashed for it. We are damned if we do and damned if we don’t where some are concerned. I guess that you really can’t please everyone but hating on bloggers, why not try something constructive with your free time or at the very least, get a life!
Our blog is our own little slice of the internet, we post what we want in the way that we choose and we all have our own individual style. My blog definitely isn’t for everyone and that is fine, other people’s blogs aren’t all for me and we all have blogs and bloggers that we interact with more and prefer over others.
But, what we all are, at the core irrelevant of our differences is book lovers and book bloggers who blog in the way that suits them and whatever that way is, it is right as it is that blogger’s own blog! Honestly, no-one should be telling anyone what they can or cannot or should or should not be posting on their blog!
Regardless of whether we do on occasion post negative reviews or not we all blog because we love books and want to share that love!
So my friends, celebrate individuality and creativity on blogs, spread the blogger love, and most importantly be yourself and share the book love! 🙂
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great post! If you can’t decide what goes on your own blog, then what is the point!!
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thank you and exactly! 🙂
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Luckily, I have not encountered this debate since I forst started blogging about 2 years ago.. we will just say I have muted and unfollowed a ton haha. But it is silly. The whole “telling others what to do and how to do on their blog” is a ridiculous concept. But you know my thoughts on that 😂 I do not post reviews of arcs and review copies that are extremely negative. I contact the publisher directly instead with feedback. I think this is even in my policies. I think the more important issue is everyone learning to worry about their own blogs and business 😂
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It’s often people, readers I guess that state that if a blog doesn’t include negative reviews then it is dishonest. It’s the bloggers choice, simple as that what they include on their blog though I know a few bloggers seems to state the same too but I don’t really see why? Ya know, some bloggers tell other bloggers what to post, nah, freedom to post what you want and people should worry more about their own blogs than others.
Sad thing is, the tweet that instigated the post was well received and it was a blogger who disagreed, one of us! lol I don’t mind them disagreeing but to disagree that it’s OK for bloggers to post what they want, seriously! I checked the blog out and I’m fairly sure he posts what he wants, I saw his blog header, shudders and nightmares! when you post what you want you can’t tell others what to post, sigh, some people! 😦
Ha, i don’t contact the publishers, then again I often forget to send them the review link, Orbit normally e-mail and see if you’ve read/are going to read the book but others I tend to forget all about. lmao 🙂
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Ah yes, Orbit and Tor are great about email communications 😊 I always enjoy speaking with the two reps that I usually chat to through them. Meh.. people need to need relax and mind their own more. If you don’t like the blogger or blog, don’t follow. Easy peasy 😊
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You would think that it is easy peasy wouldn’t you but alas, to some it isn’t.😂
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😂 I just ignore clowns. Never liked them much.
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I post a review of every book I read. If I hate it, it gets posted as a bad review. Loved it? Positive. In my experience, I either have good judgement most of the time it what to pick up, or I just accept the fact that there are more good ones than bad ones out there.
Plus, the two worst reviews I have posted have been for books sent to me by an author or a publisher. I’m kind to nobody, honest to everyone.
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I think the issue is that just because people choose not to post negative reviews though that it doesn’t make them dishonest and some people state that. it’s their blog, they can do what they want.
I’m like you, I post reviews for the books that I read, granted, if I could read 250 a year I may well not bother but when it’s only 50 every review counts! 🙂
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Absolutely. If I were a speed reader, some would slip through the cracks. As I read only a small number, I feel like I’m wasting a post by not reviewing it.
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Exactly!😂📚
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Fab post! Very sad that people feel the need to blogger bash like you say they need to get a life or put a zip in it! lol
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Thank you and very true.
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Love this. I have seen too many posts where bloggers are defending what they publish on their blogs. You want to publish all good reviews, awesome. You want to publish all bad reviews, all the more power to you. You want to publish good and bad, great. It is your blog and you decide the content.
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Thank you and exactly, its your blog, post what you want.😀📚
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Whoever disagreed with you that bloggers can’t post what they want is 100% wrong. My blog is my blog, I post what I want, when I want to post it. I’m not about people telling me what to post on my blog. For me personally, I love seeing a mix of reviews on a blog.
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Sadly, it was a blogger who disagreed! Can’t say I’m surprised but still, I find it hard to see how anyone can disagree with a blogger posting what they want on their own blog.🤔
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I’ve found plenty of bloggers who can positively express why a book wasn’t for them. They may have had a negative experience but it’s all about the way they chose to write about it.
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Exactly.
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Well said Drew. If you post a low review or a negative one you get slated as well. You’ll never please everyone. I think it’s more about people being respectful and respecting your decision about what goes on your site/ blog/ social media etc.
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Yep, that’s the real issue regardless of negative reviews or not, people stating what should and shouldn’t go on a person’s blog.
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I think perhaps the issue is that sometimes blogs that contain only glowingly positive reviews do sometimes come across as a little insincere. This is just my opinion on the matter, but I have seen a number of blogs where everything was rated four stars or five stars out of five. Just seeing that many five-star reviews does sometimes look a bit suspect – that’s how I feel about it anyway – and ultimately I find those kinds of blogs kind of dull. I personally find it much more entertaining to seek out one-star reviews for books that I know and love (or hate!) and see how other people react to them.
Of course, as you said, it’s the blogger’s decision whether or not to include negative reviews, and everyone who has carved out their own online niche has the final say on what should be published on their creative space, but I certainly feel that negative reviews absolutely have their place in the blogging world, and are just as important as positive reviews.
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Yeah, that’s really my view too. They do have a place in the community and I also like seeing what people disliked about books I liked and vice versa.
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People have way too much free time, it seems 😀
it’s true what you said about negative reviews sometimes make you read stuff. Like, recently i read a book cuz someone listed the reasons why they hated it and i was like “omg, i loooove those things, gimme the book, now”.
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Exactly. What one person might dislike could be the same things that another looks for and enjoys in a book.😀
Lol, very true, they do and weird ideas, some strange people around.😂
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Who has time to count the positive reviews someone has on their blog versus the negative anyhow, lol. 😂 To me, being honest is important and a book review is a book review no matter what. It’s not right to bash someone ever, unless they are bashing a book they didn’t read of course. That’s just wrong, but if someone doesn’t feel comfortable leaving a negative review then more power to them. Every blogger can do what they want and if someone has a problem with it, then too bad.
With that said, a lot of bloggers choose the books they truly want to read and I think this heavily influences their positive ratings. Some people rate highly as well. We all rate and review differently and if we were all the same, how extremely boring blogging would be. 🖤 Just my opinion. Great topic!
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Thank you and yeah, very true. If we were all the same it’d be very boring.😂
That’s a good point about some rating highly too, it varies from blogger to blogger and that’s how it should be. Your blog, your rules.👌📚
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Personally I think its easier to write negative reviews than positive ones because if I don’t like a book I have reasons for not liking it, but if I like a book I don’t usually have a reason, I just liked it. But that being said I rarely write negative reviews because I am good at picking books I will like and if I don’t like a book I won’t finish it and I don’t write DNF reviews. So its kind of a catch 22 haha.
I agree we shouldn’t bash bloggers in general, but it might be slightly acceptable if said blogger is inappropriately bashing another person? You can write a negative review that is still respectful, there is no need to attack the author or people who liked the book.
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Exactly. That was my point about negative reviews being beneficial and also, as you say respectful it’s when the negative is just hate towards the author and the book and then the readers who liked it too.
Hang on, are you saying that bloggers bash other bloggers?!🤔😂 Yeah, I do agree with that, doesn’t really matter if its another blogger, reader or author that the blogger is bashing then they shouldn’t be doing it but it often seems people bash bloggers in general and that’s just wrong. We do no harm, we just read and review in our spare time.😀
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Sometimes it’s like you can win. Post negative reviews and it’s “mean to authors who put so much effort into the book.” Post only positive reviews and you’re “lying.” I think either approach is fine. Just clarify your review policy somewhere on your blog, so I know if I should only expect to see positive reviews.
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I also agree with all the commenters saying they are good at picking out books they will like. I think I have also gotten better at that. A decent number of my negative reviews are of books I decided to “take a chance on” or whatnot.
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I think lots of bloggers do clarify on their review policy if they only post positive reviews, granted, there will be many who don’t too.😂 You are right though, at times you can’t win regardless of whether you post negative reviews or not and sadly, whatever you choose to do there is a chance of some backlash over it.
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Well for me it’s very simple, if i’m not enjoying a book I stop reading which = no review. It really is that simple. There seems to be this strange idea that applies only to reading that if you start a book you must finish it. I say bollocks. I read for fun, it’s a hobby, if I don’t want to read the book I won’t do so. If you buy something to eat or drink and you’re not enjoying it you don’t eat or drink it, if you’re watching a series on tv and not enjoying it you stop watching, etc, etc, the list goes on. Plus I have a few bloggers who I regularly follow and I trust their recommendations so I suppose I have far less books these days that I put down due to dislike. Frankly, I get sick and tired of people having pre set ideas about what you should and shouldn’t do – there’s no rule book for blogging and no ‘one size fits all’ template. It would be oh so boring if we all behaved the same.
Lynn 😀
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The food analogy is a really good one!😀👍 So true, I generally don’t DNF books as I’m pretty good at picking what I like to read. Which means I don’t have many negative reviews either and I honestly don’t understand the thought process behind not DNF’ing a book as surely, if you aren’t enjoying something you would stop doing it but people often state that they feel guilty over it!?🤔 Which I guess is valid but surely they must realise that there is a chance they won’t like all the books they read and might end up not finishing one. The world won’t end.😂
Exactly! That’s one thing that really annoys me about the book blogging community. This preconceived stereotype about what a blogger should post and then how they should write the posts. No, just no, we are all different and as such, so should our blogs be.
For a community that (supposedly) embraces all, the blogging stereotype is really annoying. Some of the stuff I post, especially how I word it is pretty out there and not to everyone’s tastes, which I respect and accept but I’ve been pulled up for being different and that I don’t agree with as being different is good, people shouldn’t complain about it and really, we don’t want to be all the same.
I think some people who have this blogging template need to embrace the fact that not everyone is the same and also focus on their own blogs instead of complaining about others.😂
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The other thing is, if I’m not enjoying a book then my reading just tails off and so I end up having to make the decision to throw in the towel or stop reading for ever! 😀 we all blog differently. I realise that I tend to have this persistently optimistic cheery approach and that’s probably annoying to some people but. We don’t make people read our blog and if they’re not happy they don’t have to revisit. It’s not compulsory. I like your style it’s unique to you and reading from dark books it would take quite a lot to offend me tbh.
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Sometimes I *wish* I wrote negative reviews. It would be so much easier to just chuck a negative review onto my blog and forget about it than it is to contact an author or publisher and have to explain to them why I’m not going to review their book (omfg it’s so painful and awkward).
Thing is, I review indies. Lots of them. Since I got heavily involved in the community I get to see up close and personal just how upsetting negative reviews can be to them (it’s a nightmare for many of them just trying to get their book reviewed in the first place), and how badly a harsh review can fuck up their sales and even (depending on the nature of the criticism) their reputation. So I feel a responsibility both to my audience and to the author when I write a review, because I need to be honest but I also don’t want to cause harm. Plus I’d much rather save my precious time, DNF a book I dislike and pick up something else. Recommending books that I like is far more important to me than warning people away from ones that I don’t. Then there’s my whole gig where I come up with a cocktail for the book and like, where am I going to find the enthusiasm to come up with a fun idea for a book I think is absolute shite? Nah, man. Like you said – my blog,my rules, my voice… and in my case, my conscience.
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I fall into the category of being good at picking books I like, reviews take time and I’m not going to waste my time being negative, something I hate someone else might love and I’m fully aware of how much work authors put into their books so I don’t want to drag them down either. I don’t love every book but I will always give positive points before negative to highlight parts I think others will enjoy
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I think lots of us are good at picking books we like or at least try to be and obviously, we choose what we think we will like, a concept that some don’t understand.😂
Reviews do take time! Damn things take me ages to write!😂 I’ll be negative if I need to be but I’m fair, I’ll always offer both the positives and the negatives in a negative review as I’m not one to hate where sadly, lots just hate on books they dislike.
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I 100% agree with everything you have just said. I hate that there are people out there who think they can tell us what content to put in our blogs. For one, we do this for free. And two, it’s our own blog…we will put what we want in it. I like reading negative reviews because I like seeing both sides to a book. I understand that there are others out there who don’t like putting negative reviews up for whatever reason, and that is totally fine. I saw the tweet where someone was “ferociously” against the idea that people put up whatever they want…it’s disappointing but it’s their opinion I guess…I will just have to ferociously disagree haha.
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Ah, that tweet, yeah, they are a blogger though and a blogger disagreeing about bloggers putting up whatever they want?!?! Nah, weird! If they’d meant that they think people should share negative reviews when they have read a book and not enjoyed it then sure, valid opinion but as a fellow blogger and they disagree with posting what you want, hell no. I checked out their blog, yeah, the header image of their blog says it all and it was obvious they post what they want. Dude was just an ass.😂
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Hey Drew! It’s funny that you have posted this. I like to incorporate reviews on the occassional book review. I was reading and the reviews were mixed, but it was the comments in some of them. It felt as if some people only post negative reviews, which is fine, but they would bash other people’s comments who enjoyed the book. It’s like, people have different tastes and will not all like the same things. I try to provide an honest feedback on what I thought and my Play and Skip sections keep me honest. At the end of the day, you’re right. I read books that I know I would probably end enjoying and it’s YOUR BLOG. You make the rules lol. Always as blunt and insightful as always Drew!
-Luna 🙂
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Lol, thanks, I’ll take insightful but blunt? Nah, positively polite in the post!😂 Not even much swearing.😂
Yeah, that’s unfortunately true with the comments, heaven forbid that you might like something that someone dislikes where some are concerned and then it’s hate all the way because they don’t get it’s only their opinion and what one dislikes another may well like.
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You are absolutely right, Drew. Each blogger makes a decision as to how they review. I have read lots of really helpful, insightful negative reviews which I have enjoyed. I don’t post any, because if I don’t like a book, I don’t continue reading it and I refuse to post a review about a book I haven’t finished because I don’t think that’s fair. I’ve far too many books stacked to waste my precious time trudging through one I don’t like…
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Thank you and exactly, there are lots and lots of hate filled negative reviews out there that simply state bad book but there are many insightful ones too that offer a rounded opinion on the book, are enjoyable to read and might even make you interested in the book as the things that person disliked might be what you like in a book.
Ah, far too many books, the bane of us all!😀📚
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Thank you! I am so glad I found your blog as I am starting out. I don’t see myself posting many negative reviews because if I do not like the book I will not waste my time finishing it. There are so many good books out there I just don’t see the point reading something that I am not enjoying.
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That’s very true. Reading is a hobby, if you aren’t enjoying a book then move on to the next.😀📚
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This is a great post! Thank you for posting it, it’s something I see a lot of and it does get annoying when people presume you’re just doing positive reviews for the ‘likes’ or free books. I don’t post negative reviews but my reasoning is fairly simple, if I don’t like a book I stop reading it, and if I’ve not read the whole book then in my opinion I have no right to review it. In those cases I tend to send back to the publisher that I couldn’t get on with the book for this reason/that reason and thank them for the opportunity. But I’d definitely agree with you if people selected more of the genres they loved they’d be more likely to get books they love (although not always). I see a lot of negative reviews on goodreads of fantasy books by reviewers who only ever highly rate classics and I think you know, maybe it’s the genre not the book…
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The issue with the being positive for free books thing is wrong though as publishers want honest opinions and the publicists are often (in my case) fine with it as they get you can’t like them all. I think it’s just people who don’t blog think that positive reviews equal more free books which isn’t always the case.
Yeah, I agree with you about not finishing a book and then not reviewing it. Tough one though, if the person reads 300 out of 350 pages then they’ve read a lot of the book and can give a decent opinion. But for certain genres like fantasy you don’t always know what will happen and a few pages after you quit something could occur that changes the whole book and if you’d continued reading you might find it makes you enjoy the book. It’s those who read 50 pages out of a 500 page book and then go on to slander the entire book that annoy me as how do they know what happens? They can’t know the whole book is bad but that is what they state.😂
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That guy was a fucking moron. An attention grabbing moron. It seemed like he was hoping people would see and click on his blog. Again, he was a fucking moron.
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Lol, true, did you check out his blog? Did you have the pleasure of seeing his header image? At least he was wearing clothes on his twitter picture.😱😂😱😂
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Oh god, no I didn’t. I didn’t want to give him any attention. Now I might have to go and look though.
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Lol, you’ll never look at books the same way again!😂
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Agree with you, Drew. Each blog is unique and what a blogger wants to post is his/her choice. I hate when petty-minded people try to bash other bloggers. It’s a form of internet bullying, isn’t it?
For myself, I usually don’t post reviews for books that are less that 3 stars. Because I feel that if a book was super bad then it’s not worth me spending time writing a negative review about it. But that’s my choice. I wouldn’t bash another blogger for posting a negative review. It’s the blogger’s right to express whatever opinion he/she wants to, be it negative or positive. It just shows that we’re all individuals and I think that not everyone having the same opinion on one book is an excellent cause for bookish discussion 😉
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It is internet bullying to an extent, yes and it is rather pointless, a blogger is free to post whatever they want regardless of it being positive or negative. Sadly, people like to state that what they do is the right thing and everyone should do as them at times and that’s not how blogging works, we read different books, we have different views, we blog differently, it’s not hard or at least, it shouldn’t be.
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Hear, hear! Yep, that’s how I think too. Some people just have to complain about something. I think, maybe there’s jealousy involved too. Since you have a large number of followers and people really like your comments and what you write, that makes you a target. Some people want what others have without blood and sweat and when they can’t get it, then they try to target others. Those types of people really piss me off.
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Jealousy amongst bloggers?!?!?! Never! How could you say such things! lol! 🙂 I jest, I completely agree, some seem to think the community is wonderful and sure, on the whole it is but there are also things like jealousy, etc that go on too.
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Lol. 😀
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Great post. I only read my preferred genre and my blog is all about sharing the love of books etc so it would go against the ethos of my blog to share something I dislike. I have read books that I’ve struggled with and still review on goodreads and amazon. This public shaming or disliking something is such a negative way of life, I believe if you don’t like something you just won’t purchase that item again, end of. What’s good or bad in your eyes could very well be a bestseller in others and that’s why there are so many books out there for us all.
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Love this post! I’m generally a positive reviewer and love or can find redeeming qualities in most of the books I read. I used to even feel a bit guilty that my Goodreads average rating was so high! Silly. I just know how to pick books I’m probably going to like!
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Thank you and nothing wrong with that at all, most of us try and pick books that we know we will like.👌📚
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People are ridiculous. It’s your blog. You alone chose what you do and do not post.
Negative or positive, regardless, it’s your choice. Not theirs.
Great post btw. 😀😀😀
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Thank you and I totally agree. Sadly, lots seem to have their own opinions on what should be posted on blogs and how it should be worded too, etc and they seem to forget the main point, it’s that person’s blog and they can post what they want.😂
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Reblogged this on Imagination and information for book's..
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Thanks for the reblog.
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I’ve been seeing so many tweets/posts/rants/comments about this topic lately, which has made me think about it more in depth (I have a blog post draft about it waiting to be finished :P). My general conclusion is in agreement with you (and many other book bloggers), which is: “it’s the bloggers blog!” Every blogger [presumably] started blogging because they wanted not only an outlet for their thoughts, but an outlet they can have complete control over. Why is shame and hatred being directed towards book bloggers who don’t put up negative reviews, or happen to be enjoying the books they’re reading? It’s ridiculous. If you don’t like the way a blogger is reviewing or not reviewing, [for fuck’s sake] find another blog to read, or think about why you don’t like it and use that energy to improve your own reviews.
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Exactly! It’s the bloggers blog ergo, it’s their choice to post what they want. Too many preconceived notions and stereotypes regarding what and how a blogger should post.
You can’t win, you hate a book others like, you’re wrong, you like a book others hate, you’re wrong, you post negative reviews, you’re too negative, you post only positive reviews, you’re too positive, a losing battle where some are concerned. Especially when you add in those who take offence how you word your posts too, sigh.
As you say, if they don’t like the blog just move on and find a blog you do enjoy and exactly, some of the ones who spout off really should focus more on their own blog than others.
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I have been blogging for nearly 8 years now and have posted plenty of negative reviews, even ones for books sent for review, because I am all about being honest about the books I read. I do try to find something positive to say about the books or try to mention what type of reader may enjoy it. The one thing I don’t go into a great deal about is books that I DNF, I will mention them in my wrap ups but don’t go into a lot of detail on my blog. I do however usually post a reason for the DNF on my Goodreads if anyone really wanted to know.
I do entirely agree with you though, everyone can decide what they want to post on their own blogs. It is their space for a reason, to put their thoughts and opinions down. Maybe someone who only posts positive reviews does it because they want their blog to be something about the books that make them happy as opposed to a record of all their reading. To each their own.
I honestly don’t really keep up with twitter because it does often seem to be a drama filled zone, too much like going back to high school (and honestly between working full time, a young child, a small business starting up, a home and husband and a book blog, who has time for all the BS on there).
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Ah, that’s a good point about twitter and valid for FB, which is even worse than twitter and the blogging community too. They can all be like high-school, even preschool at times.😂
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Yes! Definitely like preschool, especially when you start talking about opinions or ARCs! I had thought for a long time whether to set up a facebook for my blog to improve networking but am glad I decided against it. I am perfectly happy in my own little corner of the world wide web.
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Facebook doesn’t do much for my blog, sharing in groups might occasionally get some interaction, I’ll emphasise might.😂 Twitter is far better, in my opinion but all are prone to being like preschool.
Oh, yeah, ARC’s and opinions, topics designed to get personal and jealous.
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This was a great, great post! And I agree with all you have written above. And I am in love with the “My blog, my rules, my voice” mantra!!! *_*
Personally, I like to read negative reviews, because they offer another face of the coin, and it’s easier to create a more precise idea of the book when you read the good and the bad, too. Also, I am pro negative review in which the blogger/reviewer vent his/her frustration, or his annoyance, etcetera because I think they’re real, I mean… when we read we feel a lot of things, and when we love the book we share the love and we keep on chatting about it, fangirling about the characters or the story or the world building and writing posts without a coherent thought in them, and that’s wonderful and I love to read review in wich you can read the passion and the enthusiasm, the love of the reader. And it’s really great to have the possibility to do it!
But I think we deserve also the opposite possibility: the possibility to vent, to rage and to rant about a book that annoyed us, because it can happen and it’s wonderful if you can vent without being attacked or judged for it. Also, when one blogger is fangirling about a book, or raging about it, it’s always a personal opinion and being those “personal opinion” you have to read them like those, not as universal truth. They are just opinion and on our blog we are free to say what we are thinking. But I don’t want to say that you have to post negative reviews, because the blog is yours and you can post whatever you want for whatever reasons you want.
It’s not right that other people pressure you to post what they want!
I am really sorry for the longest comment ever!
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Lol, no worries. Always happy to get comments.👍👌📚
Yeah, you have a point, you fangirl or fanboy cos, boys can’t fangirl.😂 over the books that you like and ranting about a book is the opposite of that which is definitely valid.
I like negative reviews, they help give a rounded opinion on the book and some can even make you want to read the book too. Ranting reviews are also fine, it’s when it turns into the blogger stating that their opinion is gospel and everyone should agree with them. No, a review is subjective and only an opinion.
Regardless, we should all be able to post what we want on our own blog. Something some people don’t seem to understand.😂
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Oh, hey, I nominated you for the Sunshine Blogger Award 😊
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Awesome, thank you, appreciate it though I suck at doing tags.😂
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It’s no biggie. You don’t have to do the tag. 🙂 I just wanted to let you know that you got an award for your amazing blog. Great job! 👌👍
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Fantastic post Drew and you’re completely right, each blogger has the right to post whatever they want, if you don’t like it, nobody’s tying you to a chair and making you read it (unless you like that sort of thing! 😂) personally I do like to see bloggers making comments when/if they don’t get on with a particular part of a book BUT as others have mentioned, there’s a way of doing that without being cruel or unnecessary to the author. I haven’t written very many negative reviews but I’ve always tried to find something positive to say, even if it’s just that I wasn’t into it but other people might be! And like others, if I DNF, I don’t review.
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I agree. I have only written one negative book review. I have written some negative movie reviews too.
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Totally agree Drew. People are so preoccupied with what everyone else is doing. What does it matter? Why would anyone care if a book blogger only posts positive reviews? Does it affect them personally? Nope! If they are a fellow book blogger, does it take away from their blog? Nope! Then what’s the big deal? On the flip side, what would these same people say if a blogger decided to only write negative book reviews of the books they did not enjoy? Gasp!
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Very true! If someone only posted negative reviews then I’m fairly sure that the rest of the community would riot as it’s all about the book love and they would be preaching book hate.😂
I don’t know why it matters, I really don’t. The only thing is, some people think that you have to write posts and blog in a specific way. They don’t realise that if someone wants to swear and use terms like book hooker then that’s the right way to blog for that blogger as it’s their blog. If someone wants to only post positive reviews then that’s the right way for them to blog as it’s their blog. Same for those who post both positive and negative reviews, that’s the right way for them to blog as it’s their blog.
Some people need to just focus on their own blogs and not complain about others and how they choose to blog.
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Completely agreeing with this. It isn’t even that long ago that someone told me she only posts positive reviews on her blog and leaves the negative ones just for Goodreads because that’s where she herself keeps track of what she liked and didn’t like. It’s fine; do what you want.
I do post negative reviews but I try my hardest to say why that book didn’t work for me. I’ve already had some people commenting that the things I didn’t like is exactly why they think they would like the book and that made me cheer them on to pick it up. If you can make someone pick up a book by posting your “negative” thoughts on it, that kind of feels amazing.
As long as your review is respectful, I seriously don’t see the problem. Bashing people and bashing books, nah. Not my style.
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Exactly, if it’s a respectful negative review then it can be beneficial and as you say, what one person dislikes in a book another might like.
I do understand people only posting positive reviews and that’s fine, I don’t get the whole bashing people and stating that you have to do things a certain way to be a blogger, nah, live and let be.
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That pretty much equals bashing people for their beliefs, clothes, style, music, whatever else I can come up with. Ooh, wait. You don’t like pizza? LET’S BASH.
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Well, if they don’t like pizza…….😂😂😂
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Then they don’t like pizza. :’) Who cares.
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Fantastic post 🙂
I used to post every review on my blog, whether positive or negative, but now I just don’t have time for that. I’d rather focus on the books I loved and sharing my love for them.
I do think there is importance in negative reviews though – there are some bloggers who if they post a negative review I go straight out and get the book because I know what they hate I love and vice versa.
Cora | http://www.teapartyprincess.co.uk/
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Thank you.😀
Exactly, negative reviews can be beneficial especially when the review tells you what the person didn’t like as they might be the aspects that others like in books. If done well, not just hating ‘the book was sh#t’ a negative review adds to the overall view of the book.
Totally understand just posting positive reviews and I don’t understand why some people have an issue with it, live and let be and let a blogger post what they want.👌📚
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Great post, Drew, as always! You without fail cover all the sides and bases for a topic and I fully agree with everything you said here.
It’s also great how you keep fighting the good fight (maybe it’s because you like to ramble 😛 :D) because I am either actively ignoring such ‘debates’ and I simply cannot be bothered to set anyone straight or I just miss all the bloody action! 😀
High fives on that to you- if there’s ever a blogger that will set the record straight, it’s you!
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Lol, thanks I’ll definitely take that as a compliment and alas, I cannot lie either, I do like to ramble.😂
I try and stay clear of twidiots (twitter idiots, yeah, I like creating words.😂) but sometimes they antagonise me so much I just can’t.😂
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hahaha, you’re on a roll- twidiots is another perfect word! you should start a Drewsaurus! 😀
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Lol, it’d need a parental advisory sticker on it!😂
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more than likely 😀
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I am really impressed with your philosophy of blogging. I simply don’t mention books I thought were meh, but I am also trying at the same time not to gush. I do not take on books for publishers NetGally or anything else. I buy my own books and am currently whittling down my TBR closet. Your ideas about posting and blogging in general are refreshing. Thank you for some happy reading time.
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Thank you. I’m not really sure what there is to be impressed about with my philosophy though or my ideas.😂 Being honest, I just muddle along and do what I want on my little blog.😀
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Doing what you WANT to do, and not trying to impress is what is so refreshing!
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Ah, gotcha. Yeah, I guess it is and I can’t deny that there is an awful lot of sameness, trying to impress others and pandering to the popular that goes on.
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