Bloggers of this caliber are typically attention seekers. Like my mom used to say, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. I always wonder if their one minute of infamy really weighs out in their favor, over long term legitimate commentary.
On the other hand, other online reviewers never get tired of giving facile praise. What would you say to these?
I think it is important to have balance in all things. If a reviewer is using terminology such as "always fabulous," buyer beware. Statements of "all-ness" are not based in reality. Not every book written is great, so please do not insult your audience's intelligence by
not providing an honest review. If it is bad, find a way to offer constructive commentary for the author. That is more beneficial in the long run than copping out to a praise-ridden review. Besides, honest subjective reviews garner the trust of your readers and endear them to actually listen and act upon your advice.
Do you think a review has a lot of influence on whether or not a person buys a book?
For me personally, reviews have a lot to do with what books I buy. I typically will visit one or two review sites to see what they have to say about a title and make my decision from there. Everybody views the world through a different lens. Some are drawn to cover art, others to the label of a well known name. It really depends on the consumer.
Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?
I really want to encourage avid readers who have not yet tried e-books to do so. There is a whole group of amazing authors who are only producing electronic books. By not giving them a try, you are really missing out. Bitten by Books is currently looking for more reviewers to join our team, especially those who are willing to review e-books and love the paranormal/urban fantasy genre. Please stop by and join us for our upcoming author spotlights, author guest blog spots and contests every week.
Thanks for your time, Rachel!
Article comments
1 - Margay
Another great interview, Mayra! Rachel, I've been to your site before and found it quite interesting. Keep up the good work - you are providing a great service to authors.
2 - A. F. Stewart
Wonderful interview, thanks for the book recommendations.
3 - Joy Delgado
Thank you again Mayra for an insightful review. Each person has brought to the table a slight variance on the theme which has been very helpful.
Joy