So a while back, I realized how important it was to give a review for a book. Not only for the author to help get the book noticed but also to the reader to help entice them on whether or not the book is worth their time.
Granted everybody has their own opinion and even though someone doesn't like the book, it doesn't mean it's a bad book. It just wasn't right for that one person. I, myself, look at the cover first, look at the number of ratings, read the synopsis, look at the author's bio and then possible take a moment to read a review or two. Unfortunately, the cover makes a first impression with me but doesn't hinder my purchase.
Price is another factor. I rarely have purchased an ebook for more than $8 unless it is by a well known published author. It's not that it may not be good, it's just that I can get so many for under $5 that are just as interesting. I also have taken every "FREE" option that I have discovered by authors I'm interested in, which is a reason I have about 70 books to read on my Kindle. (YIKES!)
Since I have made it my personal mission to make sure I write a review and tag a book whenever possible, I'm still unsure what is the best way to review.
I, personally, do not like to see spoilers given. I love being surprised when I read a book. I do like reading whether a person enjoyed the book but again I don't let their opinion hinder my choice of actually taking the time myself to find out if I have that same opinion.
That being said, is it better to write a full review with spoilers and all or a review just stating some good points without giving so much away.
I have recently discovered in my own journey of finding people to review my debut novel, Destiny Unhinged, that there are so many review sites out there.
Amazon: Of course, is a big one for me since I have a Kindle and do most of my purchases through them.
Goodreads: This is a great one. I have been a member with them for several months and although I only have 25 friends at the moment, I really like to see what my friends are adding to their "to read" lists and what they have already "read". This actually helps my personal read list to grow.
Shelfari: I've only recently discovered this one. I have joined and added several of my "read" books as well as "to read". I figure I need to get my personal reviews out there to help as much as possible. I joined since I have run across some review blogs that mentioned that they post their reviews on this site. It is a branch off of Amazon and it is similar to Goodreads.
Smashwords: It is difficult to post a review on this site without having purchased from it. I do not purchase many through this site so I'm unable to help out with adding a review. However, I've noticed that authors do offer more coupon codes to this site which does may it a nice incentive to purchase from here.
Librarything: This is another one I'm still learning the ropes on. Again, you can add books that you've read or want to read. You can add friends and see what others have posted for reviews. I've discovered that some of the books I have read are even missing images. So I working on completing the books that I have at least read to help these authors out.
Diesel-ebooks Store: This is an actual store that you can purchase books from. You can add a review even though you didn't purchase from this site. They even offer you a small amount of "reward money" if you do rate and write a review. There reviews are limited to 40 words which doesn't let you write all that you would love to write. I have discovered that not all the books that I have personally read are available on this site.
If I am missing any sites, please comment below along with what a reader would like to see in means of a review. Like I mentioned earlier, it's my own mission to help an author out.
Interesting point about the impact of covers. I hugely underestimated their impact until I gave my books a makeover and saw a significant boost in renewed interest. For me, amazon reviews pack the biggest punch as a reader and author. I like that I can see if the reviewer actually purchased the book, and like you, negative reviews rarely put me off purchasing. I tend to put the most stock in the four and three star reviews. I find those the most helpful and objective. You make an interesting point about price too. I'm with you. I can't justify paying more than $5 for an ebook, though I did just spend $17 on an author I love. But I've been waiting 18 months for this release, so it's worth it! ;)
ReplyDelete