Why do I have a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews?

There has been a lot of hubbub in the blogging and reviewing community lately about reviewers and what we do and whether we are helpful.  Should we post bad reviews.  Are we only out to place good reviews.  Are we paid, do authors expect good reviews.  Do we feel we should give good reviews.  I don't know the answers as a whole, but I thought I would give mine.

I started this blog to keep up with what I read.  I read over 200 books a year and I would frequently pick up a book, look at the back cover, think I had read it but not remember if I had or not.  So I got the bright idea that I would start putting up my thoughts about the books I read from my bookshelf and the library and hopefully I could remember what I read better.  That was March of 2009.  By that summer I was receiving my first review copies.  Oh the thrill.  Now I am on several publicist's lists and I love them.  I am on several publishers lists, I love them, and I have several authors that also email me personally when they have a book coming out.  I love them.  Now I have a choice to pick and choose what I read.  I like that.

So what am I rambling about?  Since I can now pick and choose, I am really careful about what I choose.  I pick authors I am familiar with for one.  And then with new authors, the description of the book has to really jump out to me.  And so far I am very lucky.  That is why most of my reviews are 4 star and up.  I like books.  I don't tend to pick them apart for little errors.  I will mention editing if I think it needs work, but I don't make a big deal about it, unless it takes me out of the story.  I'm in a book for the story.  If I love the story then I will write a good review.  Most books I love.  A few I am ho-hum about, they typically get the 3.5 rating.  If I can't get into it, I just pass on the book and never review it since I didn't finish it.  It just didn't suit me, but it will probably suit someone else.  If I flat-out don't like a book, I may or may not review it.  I use to review it and caveat it with it's my opinion, because the truth is, that's exactly what it is.  I may hate a book and you love it.  I may love a book and you wonder what is wrong with me.  Thankfully there are lots of authors and lots of books out there to please all of us.  So most of the time now if I just didn't click with the book and can't really find anything great to say I won't write the review, but then again that rarely happens because if I'm not clicking with the book, I now put it down.  Life is too short to waste it reading something I don't like.

So there, I don't feel like I have to write good reviews for all the authors, my reviews are genuine and from my heart.  I just happen to really like books.  You can tell which ones I like more because they will be rated closer to 5 and the ones I like a little less will be closer to 4.  But anything in this range is a winner to me, again my opinion.

Am I wrong?  Should I be more critical?  I'm not sure, but honestly I started this for me, I still enjoy it most of the time so I will keep it the same.  I'll offer reviews, guest blogs, interviews and giveaways from the authors, publicists and publishers (it's too expensive for me to offer my own giveaways now).  Let me know what you think.  Do you like things the way they are, or do you think I should change things up a bit?

***I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

Fall-Catch-Up-Read-a-Thon: Mini Challenge - Banned Books

I'm participating in the Fall Catch-Up-Read-a-Thon hosted by Michelle at The True Book Addict.  It goes through Sunday and has no particular rules - it's just to help us get caught up on our reading.  Today Michelle offered a mini-challenge and it's one I gladly accept.  To see the challenge and read others' posts go here.

For the challenge we are to go to the ALA site and in honor of Banned Books Week, pick a book we have read, and talk about it.  So I did that - I chose the ones by decade and chose this past decade and came up with several I have read, but found the one I wanted to talk about.

By the way - I absolutely love that logo and the sentiment.  With all the craziness going on about Speak right now, I think we need to remember that we each know how to think and make our choices and we don't need others to make them for us!  My thoughts on Speak are this - I haven't read it - but I will make a point to read it and form my own opinions, I have read some of Laurie Halse-Anderson's other books and loved them and expect to do the same with Speak.  I hope others will do the same and form their own opinions as well. 

On to my choice:

   

Pick a book - any book  - it's the Gossip Girl series.  I will quickly admit that this series is one of  my guilty pleasures. I will admit I am definitely not in the target age group for this series but I love it.  I have never been to New York, did not grow up rich, did not party like this crowd or cut class or drink as much, but I love the series.

Do I understand why it is on the ALA list?  Sure - the books are full of drinking, drug use, sex and general habits we don't want our teenagers (thinking as a parent) to have.  Do I want it banned.  No way - I believe in freedom of speech and expression and don't believe these books hurt anyone.  I think most teenagers will get how over-the-top this crowd is.  It's just meant for a pleasure reading, what I call brain candy.  It's definitely not "soft porn" either, since those seem to be the words for the day with the young adult books.  The sex happens, but there are no real details.  Does this make it morally right - no, but it's called Gossip Girl and the back blurbs make it obvious what goes on in the books, there are no surprises when you read them.

I believe all parents should be involved in what their kids read and should be aware of the content.  Do I think they should censor everything.  No - I actually think books like these make great jumping off places for conversations with kids.  What is wrong about what the kids do in this book? What makes the kids like everyday kids even though they are rich and live a different lifestyle?  These make great conversation starters with teenagers.  And finally it just goes back to the fact that this is fiction - it's not telling kids how to act - it's there for enjoyment.  The shows on tv are much worse than this book and most adults don't censor those, so why censor the books - at least the kids are reading and that is what I think is most important.  Reading gets you thinking and thinking is a great thing to do.

Have you read any of the Gossip Girl books?  Do you think they should be banned?

My Gossip Girl book reviews (I have read all but the prequel in this series but somehow fell behind on the reviews):

Gossip Girl

All I Want is Everything

Because I'm Worth It

Nobody Does It Better

Nothing Can Keep Us Together

Would I Lie to You