Let’s Review – Goodreads or Point of Purchase?

I've been somewhat of a slacker recently on Goodreads, actually with reviews in general. I used to write reviews for books whether or not I liked them, but that took a lot of time. So I started only writing reviews for the books I loved. Then after hearing about the rise of fake reviews, I stopped reviewing all together.

But the thing is – fake review or real – I read reviews before I buy a book. And having my own book out there makes me realize how important it is to have those reviews from real readers. (I'm so grateful to every person that has ever written a review of my book, even if it wasn't a glowing review. I just appreciate their time first in reading, and second in writing the review.) So the question remains: how do you get legitimate reviews for a book without begging, bribing or otherwise paying for them? And where do people look for reviews? Goodreads? Amazon? Barnes & Noble? Or old-fashioned word of mouth?

 I love reading the reviews that come through my Goodreads feed, telling me what books my friends have read. (And if we aren't already friends over there, send me a friend request!) I have definitely read someone's review and then gone online to buy the book. But otherwise, I tend to just look at the reviews at whatever online portal I'm buying the book from.

What about you? Do you generally review books that you read? How much do reader reviews inform your purchases? And where do you go to find reviews?

And speaking of Goodreads, author friend Dawn Malone is giving away 10 copies of her new novel, Bingo Summer. Pop on over to enter for your chance to win!

DITCHED and One-Star Reviews

There are so many wonderful people with books coming out this year. Another one of my friends celebrated her debut release with a signing in Santa Monica at Diesel, A Book Store. Not to be confused with Diesel, the clothing store. Trust me, I now know the difference since I showed up at the clothing store first. *head palm* Ugh.

Fortunately, I was close to being on time for a change, so we made the 3-mile trek to the right Diesel with plenty of time to hug, listen to and have a book signed by the wonderful Robin Mellom. Her YA novel, DITCHED, came out on January 10 and believe it or not, she has another book, a middle grade novel, coming out in June. Talk about a banner year!

As for me, I just got back more edits so my nose will be buried deep in revisions while I wrestle with the last act of my story. But I can't sign off without mentioning a great list I found on Mediabistro. There has been a lot of uproar in the last few weeks about one-star reviews and whether or not people who rate books on Goodreads or Amazon can really call themselves reviewers.

My answer? It doesn't matter whether you're reviewing for the New York Times or your own personal blog. Reviews make people aware of a book but it doesn't mean they're going to buy it. And the list I found on Mediabistro kind of proves the point. Look at this list of books and how many one-star reviews they had on Amazon. I've read some of those titles. I know they're awesome.

One-Star Reviews for Bestselling Books
1. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (669 one-star reviews)
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by  Stieg Larsson (396 one-star reviews)
3. A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin (344 one-star reviews)
4. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (169 one-star reviews)
5. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (157 one-star reviews)
6. Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich (119 one-star reviews)
7. Inheritance by Christopher Paolini (118 one-star reviews)
8. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (191 one-star reviews)
9. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (96 one-star reviews)
10. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (81 one-star reviews)


Yes, everybody wants good reviews, but your book isn't going to appeal to everyone. People can be mean with their opinions, but it doesn't mean you have to respond in the same way. More importantly, it doesn't mean people won't read your book. All you can do is write the best story you know how to write. The rest is out of your hands.

And, oh yeah -- can someone remind me of this sometime down the road when I'm stressing over a bad review!!