Even though its my 13th day into temporal single motherhood, I had a fabulous day with the kid today. We snuggled in bed, watched Noddy and I even managed to get my interview questions done. The son is now tucked happily in his Noddy bed prolly dreaming about Noddy.
Alright on to today's topic, what do you do when you read a book that is so bad it makes you look up the publisher and vow not to publish with them?
I read a book and if i were to rant, I could go on for pages and that is not very nice is it?
But since I am trying to keep up with my friends on goodreads, I really should write a review. So what do you do when you read a terribly written book, write a bad review or just obliterate it from your mind?
The 2nd troubling point is the fact that this author has written a book(not this book) that went on the New York Times bestseller list. Do you feel once people reach a certain level the people surrounding them become YesMen or the authors get so egotistical they don't listen to corrections?
Believe you me this book was very bad, I don't have a problem with rule breakers, but this author broke all the rules and did not make it work.
Why am I this frustrated? I can never put a book down once I start, and that is hours of my life wasted on said book that I will never get back (it had a little over 40 chapters),
Sorry If my post is a bit of a downer today, you all have my permission to have a glass of cyber bubbly on the house! This picture should also cheer you up I took it in le Jardin Exotique in Monaco
Write the bad review.
ReplyDeleteWe all know it's opinion. But we want to know it. I know I'm going to get bad reviews on my book. I hate that, but I know it's going to happen. That's reality.
I'm so curious about this book. And so glad I know it's not me! :)
Ha ha Tamara even ur book's blurb did better than this whole book
ReplyDeleteWe are all entitled to our opinions. You never need to apologize for that.
ReplyDeleteI think it all depends on how you write your bad review. Even books that are not my cup of tea I can always find something positive to say. I have to believe that no writer sets out with the goal to write a book that doesn't connect with readers. What you think is a bad book is someone else's baby.
ReplyDeleteack I know and its tearing me apart Liz you should read it, I gave it my best but nothing gelled. ha i'll go check out other reviews for the book
ReplyDeleteBe honest. As painful as writing a bad review must be, think of the reader! Ack! I would appreciate saving my money:)
ReplyDeleteI think that it's okay to say why you didn't enjoy the book without condemning it. After all, someone else might enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that you remarked on the author having made the bestseller list with another book. I once attended an author event during which a comment was made that some popular authors 'go off the boil' and, after producing a few decent novels find it hard to maintain the standard.
Love the Monaco pic.
If I read a book I don't care for, I simply take it off the list - no review. There are plenty of naysayers out there and I don't want to join the ranks. Some bloggers are asked to give a review - the author sends them an ARC. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes at that point, you know?
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Gilbert was faced with a similar dilemma. Check out her rhetoric on TEDTalks on YOUTUBE. Very enlightening.
ReplyDeleteI would write an honest review. I tend to find--usually--that when an author is on contract to produce so many titles a year their work suffers a bit.
ReplyDeleteI remember the worst book I ever read. It was about five years ago and I could still remember how disgusting it was. The main character was as dumb as a sack of rocks, the hero was a jerk with a capital J, the bad guy was an overly spoiled brat with big hooter (because according to the dumb main character that is all men care about in a woman), and the conflict. . . Yeah, the author forgot about that element of writing altogether. And while that book made me want to throw up, some of the best romantic suspense I’ve ever read was written by the same author. I guess even authors make mistakes. Write a review for it, be honest why you disliked it, but don’t write the author off based on just one book. (I usually read three books by an author before I decide if I like them or not. )
ReplyDeleteBad reviews really bite! I'm very conscious of the fact that I have a book coming out... and well, I don't want bad karma around! So if I really don't like a book, I just don't review it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good question. I hope there is someone out there that does give the book a bad review because I don't have much money to spend on books and I especially don't want to spend money on bad books. The only books I will read even if it has a bad review is those by fellow bloggers and friends.
ReplyDeleteCD
I would say write an honest review or not one at all, but try to remember reviews that completely bash the book often reflect poorly on the reviewer themselves. There is a difference between a bad review and a rant. Keep it honest and useful to potential readers.
ReplyDeleteI have simply stopped reading books which bore me. Life is too short. There are too many books I want to read.
ReplyDeleteI sort of feel cheated when a book disappoints me --- especially when I've read a previous book by the author and liked it.
ReplyDeleteI use to try and finish a bad book, but now if I'm not intrigued by page 25, I just let it go.
Maybe I'm just a proper Southern Girl, but if I can't say something nice, I just go "Bless your heart" and keep it moving. Ha.
I rarely finish a book, unless it's really gives me indigestion or a migraine or both. I tried to read a book earlier this year- I couldn't get past page 5. Still haven't and its a bestseller with a movie etc.
ReplyDeleteI've since read a great (bad) review about the said book which was honest - the reviewer was polite but he was honest, he didn't like the book either. Very tactfully written.
Everyone's entitled to their own opinion. I also agree with Liz says above, and also echo Sondrae's comments.
Naturally, as a big mouth with opinions, I have had this happen a few times. I find that when I force myself to finish the book, I fill up with CRANKY at a generally proportionate rate. I even went to Amazon once to write a scathing review, but then I got there and the book had two glowing reviews(no doubt from family) and I couldn't bring myself to post.
ReplyDeleteI also once banished a book to my back porch overnight when I felt insulted by sweeping(and lame) assumptions the author made about the art world(which is my world). I had a strong urge to eviscerate the book, so it got put in timeout on the back porch overnight until I felt better about my self control :)
Never have managed to leave a scathing review for anything though. I always derail by thinking 'One Day may I be so lucky as to join the ranks of published book that pisses people off'... that's a step above unpublished book no one cares about, right?
Life is too short to spend on bad books.
ReplyDeleteThat said, what I consider bad is probably pure gold to someone else.
If it's that bad, I wouldn't review it. That's probably the greatest kindness I can give that author.
Which book is it? Give me a hint. What does it rhyme with?
ReplyDeletePlease tell the name of the book, I want to check it out, lol...
ReplyDeleteJoanna,
ReplyDeletePlease, tell us the name of the book! LOL
Thanks for stopping by, and for your kind comment. I love your blog, and your honesty :-)
Doris
I didn't know Noddy still came on.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely write a review and post it up on amazon.ca and chapters.ca and my blog :P. I normally do write reviews because I feel that I'll forget the story otherwise.
I don't think I'd ever pick up a novel from that author again. Perhaps next time I should look at the publisher most closely.
I remember once I wrote a bad review on amazon and it wouldn't get posted up because, as the customer service person told me, I was degrading the author or something like that. So then I had to change the title of the review :).
I normally check ratings for novels on amazon.com before I purchase or read them. It usually stops me from picking up the bad books (which I did recently when I decided to buy a book at the spur of the moment.. I actually did that twice).
ha ha am not telling cos I have to go and write something polite on goodreads.
ReplyDelete@SH yep Noddy is still on but its on cable, I just buy the new DVDs for him because he gets into arguments with the french station when they call him oui oui.
I just get so excited abt books I dont read reviews I just dive in.