According to a poll conducted by Globe Books online (so far at least) the majority of people choose their books based on reviews. Glad to hear it!
I’ve been reviewing books for more than a decade and always try to highlight what I think a potential reader is looking for in a book. I don’t write reviews to appease the author, publisher or other writers. Having said that, you are in a very precarious place when you’re a reviewer who is also a writer. One day your book will land on someone’s desk to critique. Karma and all.
Books, no matter their skill or talent level, always have redeeming qualities and, in my somewhat informed opinion (based on the sheer volumes I have read), they are like people. You can’t like all of them all the time. I try to focus on the positive and on the elements of a book that are universally appealing.
Some of the books I’ve reviewed become personal, treasured, all-time favourites. In the next little while I’ll be starting a regular feature of Bound to Write, called My Bookshelf, where I’ll talk about books I cannot live without, nor live without seeing everyday on my shelf. (my very strong attachment to books, and the life-saving thoughts, ideas and word arrangements they contain is a topic for another — maybe many other posts)
There are a great many book blogs out there, so why should you read this one? Hopefully for the same reason people read my reviews in various publications and tell me they went right out afterward and bought the book.
Thanks for reading!
BOUND TO WRITE 